Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister Qureshi implicated in eight more cases related to May 9 mayhem

Former PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi implicated in more cases after May 9 riots, facing legal challenges in jail.

Pakistan’s jailed former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was on Sunday implicated by the police in eight more cases in connection with the unprecedented mayhem on May 9 in 2023 following the arrest of ex-premier Imran Khan in a case of alleged corruption, according to a media report on Monday.

The 67-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after his conviction in various cases.

On Sunday, a special police team approached the Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore seeking permission to arrest, interrogate and summon Qureshi in an FIR registered with the Sarwar Road police station, Geo News reported.

However, the court denied the permission citing “security reasons”. Instead, the court allowed the investigation officer to visit Adiala Jail for interrogation of the former Foreign Minister within three days.

“The accused shall be deemed to be on physical remand for that purpose,” read the court order.

Riots were triggered almost across the country on May 9 last year after Khan’s arrest in the 190 million pounds settlement case. Hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders were arrested for their involvement in violence and attacks on key military installations.

A special court established under the Official Secrets Act had handed Qureshi 10 years in jail in the cipher (secret diplomatic communication) case along with the jailed former premier Khan.