Shah claims to be in Karachi, not Rawalpindi on May 9

Rawalpindi: The Vice-Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi Thursday said in the court statement: “I can swear on the Holy Quran that on May 9 I was not in Rawalpindi Punjab but in Karachi”.

According to the details, Duty Magistrate Syed Jahangir Ali heard the May 9 GHQ attack case against PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood in Rawalpindi court, in which he was handcuffed and presented in the court.

At the beginning of the hearing, Shah Mehmood raised his hands in handcuffs and showed them to the judge saying: “I was ordered to be released by three judges of the Supreme Court however despite this I was arrested under 3 MPOs. They arrested me at night and came in the morning saying that they are releasing me. I asked the reason on which I was told that the case is flawed”.

He said that he was arrested following an order and then it was withdrawn. He was ordered to be arrested on December 26, then the date was cut out by hand and 27 was written. I was present in the vicinity of the jail that Punjab police reached to arrest me. I have been an assembly member for five times, SHO Ashfaq punched, kicked and tortured me.

I had chest pain and requested the Superintendent of Police (SP) for hours to take me to the hospital. I begged that I had chest pain but was not taken to a doctor rather a doctor was called who supposedly had just a blood pressure monitor, stated former minister.

The PTI leader further told the judge that he can swear upon the Holy Quran that on May 9 he was not in Rawalpindi but in Karachi as his wife was admitted in the Agha Khan Hospital.

He continued to say, ‘They wanted to take a statement from me but I decided to give a statement in the presence of the lawyers. I was kept in severe cold that I could not sleep at night. I was physically and mentally tortured. I have represented and clarified Pakistan everywhere still I have been treated like this and have been in jail for many months, is it fair that I have been tortured. I trust in Allah and in your pen’.

Speaking to the judge, Shah Mahmood stated that I said in my speech to not take the law into hands and not to cross anyone's threshold. I said in my statement to protest peacefully with the families.

He stated that a very reputed person told him that after sorting out he is clean. I can tell you in privacy that which most powerful person said that I have no a role in May 9. That person is responsible for the whole system who said that you are not involved in the May 9 incident, let my full statement be brought out which is here.

During the hearing, Shah Mehmood's lawyer requested to open his handcuffs, on which the court ordered to open the handcuffs.