ISLAMABAD: A top leader of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said on Thursday he was tortured and deprived of sleep after being arrested by the police in Rawalpindi a day earlier on charges of instigating violence.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi, PTI vice chairman and Pakistan’s former foreign minister, managed to get a bail from the country’s top court last week in a separate case in which he was facing prison trial with Khan on the allegations of leaking state secrets.
The manner of his arrest was widely criticized and described as “undignified” by Pakistan President Dr. Arif Alvi.
The police brought him in handcuffs to the Judicial Complex in Rawalpindi to record his statement where he complained of being mistreated by the authorities.
“Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi claimed in court that he was subjected to violence and deprived of sleep,” the PTI said in a social media post on platform X.
“Mental and physical torture of political prisoners is a violation of fundamental human rights and Pakistan’s commitments under international law,” it added.
Qureshi was arrested on Wednesday for instigating violence on May 9 following Khan’s brief arrest from a court in Islamabad on graft charges.
The development led to riots and arson attacks, with hundreds of people carrying PTI flags targeting government buildings including a top general’s residence in Lahore and the army headquarters in Rawalpindi.
Subsequently, Khan’s party faced a massive crackdown and several of its top leaders announced to quit PTI after being arrested by the law enforcement agencies.
According to local media reports, the prosecution presented Qureshi’s video clips available on social media to prove intent to provoke PTI supporters after Khan’s arrest.
The PTI said in a brief statement the court reserved verdict on the official plea seeking Qureshi’s three-day physical remand in the case.
