PTI says Imran’s cousin Qasim Zaman taken into custody after Rawalpindi DC orders detention under MPO

ISLAMABAD: PTI founder Imran Khan’s cousin, Qasim Zaman, was taken into custody by the authorities when he went to the Adiala jail in the hopes of meeting the ex-prime minister on Tuesday, the party said after the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner (DC) ordered his detention under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 (MPO) for 30 days. PTI’s Awais Younas Chaudhry told Dawn that Zaman used to visit the Adiala jail to meeting Imran as the Islamabad High Court had allowed the jailed ex-premier twice a week meetings — on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “On Tuesday he [Zaman] reached the Gorakhpur Naka near the prison at around 2: 40pm and informed the jail authorities that he was there to meet Imran, ” Chaudhry said, adding that, however, police detained him and shifted him to an unknown location. Later, Rawalpindi DC Nadeem Nasir’s order for Zaman’s detention under the MPO surfaced. The MPO allows the authorities to order detention and restrict judicial review of such orders. In his detention order, DC Nasir cited the ordinance, as well as letters by the police officials. The Sept 6 order, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said police informed the DC that Zaman was a political activist “who is instigating/ planning to organise unlawful assembly/ commit violence, deliver unlawful speeches to cause damage to human life and public/ private properties”. “He is also inciting the public to commit violence/ damage public /private properties and trying to stop the public functionaries from performing their duties in current situation, and him being at large is likely to disturb the public peace, safety and tranquility, ” the order said, citing information shared by police. The ordered further stated that under these circumstances, the Rawalpindi City police officer recommended his detention “in order to prevent him from acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety and to ensure maintenance of public order u/s 3(1) MPO, 1960 for a period of 30 days”. The Rawalpindi District Intelligence Committee also endorsed the police’s stance during its meeting on Tuesday and “unanimously recommended that the above-named person be detained to prevent him from any unlawful activities”, the order said. In light of these developments, the Rawalpindi DC ordered Zaman’s detention under MPO for 30 days. “His custody shall be placed under the supervision of the superintendent of Central Jail, Rawalpindi, ” the order stated, adding that Zaman had the right to file an appeal to the Punjab Home Department against the directive. More to follow

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