PTI leader Shehryar Afridi was arrested for the second time this week as the Rawalpindi police on Friday detained him under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) shortly after an anti-terrorism court ordered his release.

According to the PTI, the former minister and his lawyers were also “tortured” by the Punjab police outside the court premises.

A video posted by the party on X showed Afridi in torn clothes, breathing heavily, as his lawyers offered him water. In another clip, the PTI leader could be seen surrounded by a large contingent of police outside the court.

Earlier today, the Rawalpindi ATC had directed authorities to release the former minister in a case registered at the New Town police station pertaining to May 9 violence.

However, the PTI leader was re-arrested immediately after his release on detention orders issued by Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema under Section 3 (power to arrest and detain suspected persons) of the MPO ordinance.

Afridi was subsequently taken to the Adiala Jail.

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi termed the arrest “yet another display of the blatant disregard for judicial orders and government’s high-handedness.”

This is his second arrest in a week. A day earlier, Afridi was picked up by the police after the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench granted him bail.

Talking to the media shortly before he was arrested, the PTI leader lamented that he was unaware of the case he was being re-arrested in. Afridi also stressed that he was a law-abiding and responsible citizen.

Meanwhile, his lawyer said that following his client’s release today, the police informed them about a “fresh MPO order”.

He added that Afridi “respected the law” and therefore, was surrendering to the “illegal” arrest. The counsel vowed to challenge the detention order in the high court.

ATC order

Earlier in the day, along with ordering Afridi’s release, the ATC also issued show-cause notices to the investigation officer (IO), the senior superintendent of police (investigation) and the relevant superintendent of police, seeking a response by August 7.

In the order, ATC judge Hamid Hussain noted that it was incumbent upon the IO to gather incriminating material against Afridi but he had not done so. The IO had sought a 30-day physical remand of Afridi.

Observing that “malafide of the police is apparent on the record”, the judge ordered that the PTI leader “be released forthwith, if not required in any other case”.