LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore extended former federal minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s interim bail till July 7 in three cases pertaining to May 9 on Tuesday.
The ATC was hearing Qureshi’s bail plea related to cases registered against him at Sarwar Road, Gulberg and Race Course police stations. He is accused of involvement in vandalism at Jinnah House and Gulberg Plaza.
The ATC had earlier granted Qureshi interim bail on June 10 and restricted the police from arresting him. The court had also directed him to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 for bail in each of the three cases.
Speaking to the media after the hearing today, Qureshi, who had served as the foreign minister under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tenure in government, regretted that no one from the incumbent government has responded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement. “The Indian prime minister says Pakistan is dying its own death. But the Pakistani prime minister is silent,” regretted Qureshi.
Modi, who was on a state visit to the US last week, received a warm reception from the White House. During his visit, the two countries sealed major defence and technology deals reflecting Washington’s strategic reliance on India as a balancing force against China.
In an effort to advance India’s objectives against Pakistan, a joint statement was issued by Modi and US President Joe Biden urging Pakistan to launch a crackdown on “extremist groups operating from its territory,” including proscribed organisations – Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Qureshi had earlier said it hurt him to see the joint communique issued after Biden and Modi’s meeting in Washington.
According to Qureshi, there is a race between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the next prime minister. Both Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maryam Nawaz are candidates for the position, said the beleaguered former minister. “There is a lot of talk about their meeting in Dubai these days.”
What’s happening with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will become apparent in a day or two, said Qureshi. “Finance Minister Ishaq Dar sahib had to kneel. Everyone has seen the budget that was passed.”
The citizens of Pakistan want to know whether anyone is concerned with the economic situation improving, he said, adding that the PTI is trying to talk about the future.
Referring to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry’s presser, Qureshi said that the matter of military trials is before the courts so it would be premature to speak on it. “He [DG ISPR] did not name anyone. You know that I don’t comment on assumptions.”
