Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been arrested by Islamabad police in the federal capital in accordance with Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO).
On Wednesday, as tens of thousands of people came to the streets to protest the Tuesday detention of former prime minister Imran Khan, the government and military forces began a crackdown.
Following the arrest of Fawad Chaudhry and Asad Umar on Thursday morning during a raid at Gilgit-Baltidstan House, the current former foreign minister was also seized.
Clips shared by the former ruling party show plain-clothed men taking Qureshi, a close aide of Imran Khan, away, with the latter waving at party workers.
In his message, Qureshi said told party workers to continue their struggle for ‘true freedom’. The seasoned politician said, “As a foreign minister, I defended Pakistan’s interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years”.
He further mentioned having no regrets for his action and cleared the air that he has not made any provocative statements that could lead to lawsuits. He was confident that the PTI’s movement will reach its destination.
Amid the crackdown, Islamabad Police spokesperson told local media that several PTI leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Ch, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Falak Naz Chitrali, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, and Maleeka Bukhari, were held in cases of deadly clashes and arsons in several cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, per reports.
Other than the key leaders, nearly 1,400 workers of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf have been detained in Punjab in terrorism cases for vandalism, violence and arson.
