Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi was taken into custody on Wednesday from Adiala Jail, Aaj News reported.
Footage aired on television showed the former foreign minister being dragged by personnel into an armoured police vehicle.
While being whisked away, Qureshi said he was being arrested illegally.
“They are arresting me again in a false case.
I represented the nation, I am innocent and I am being targeted for political revenge without any reason.“
Meanwhile, PTI, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan requested the judiciary and Supreme Court to look into the matter.
“You granted Qureshi bail on the grounds that he is a senior politician who needs to contest the elections.
“And for elections to be free and fair and transparent, it is necessary that all people participate,” the barrister said.
President Arif Alvi criticised on the treatment of police with the former foreign minister saying “let us not become a state where human rights and dignity are trampled upon with impunity”.
In his post on X, President Alvi said, “Incidents of paper snatching, brutal action on protestors, and now treating an ex foreign minister from two regimes in an undignified manner must draw the attention of the authorities”.
On Tuesday, Qureshi was detained for 15 days on the orders of the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner.
The detention orders stated that Qureshi was involved in the case of attacking the GHQ, Rawalpindi gate on May 9, adding that his release may pose a threat to peace and order in society.
It further said that the city police officer suggested a 45-day detention on the report of the station house officer (SHO) concerned. The district intelligence committee also agreed with the report of the police and security institutions.
Granting Qureshi that right to appeal, he is being detained for 15 days, the order stated.
On Friday, a three-member Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and comprising Justices Athar Minallah and Syed Mansoor Ali Shah approved the bail pleas of former prime minister Imran Khan and Qureshi in the cipher case against surety bonds worth Rs1 million each.
Background
A case was registered against Imran and PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi under Sections 5 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. It is related to the “misuse” of alleged contents of a diplomatic cipher, cited by ex-premier Imran as proof of the attempt to remove his government.
Last month, the special court indicted Imran and Qureshi in the cipher case. The duo then approached the SC for bail.
It is pertinent to mention that on December 13, a special court established under the Official Secrets Act indicted both of them again in the case.