Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday rejected the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) direction to sign an affidavit stating that the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Will refrain from running and inciting the workers.
His refusal to sign the agreement means that the court cannot issue a written order to release him from prison.
Yesterday, the IHC declared the orders of Qureshi’s arrest null and void and announced his release. However, the court had said that the PTI leader’s release would be conditional on him submitting a written affidavit that he would not participate in violent protests and refrain from inciting any violence in the future.
Qureshi’s lawyers told the court that they would submit the affidavit after consulting the PTI leader.
These directions were issued by IHC Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb while hearing a petition challenging Qureshi’s arrest.
However, the former foreign minister today categorically expressed his reluctance to give any such assurance.
As a result of not submitting the affidavit, the court did not issue a written decision to release them.
Instead, Qureshi’s legal counsel today sought time from the court to file the affidavit.
Qureshi was among the PTI leaders arrested in Islamabad within 24 hours of the outbreak of violent protests by PTI workers following the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The police had said at that time that the former foreign minister was arrested by the police in riots and arson incidents in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, before his arrest, the PTI leader encouraged party workers to continue their struggle for “real freedom” in the country.
“As Pakistan’s foreign minister, I defended Pakistan’s interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years,” he said.
Qureshi added that he has no remorse and has not made any inflammatory statement that could lead to prosecution. He was confident that the PTI movement would reach its destination.
Earlier, former Minister of State Ali Muhammad Khan was also directed to submit a similar affidavit.
