ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC), Thursday, declared the arrest of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, vice chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law as “illegal” and ordered his release.
A single bench of Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb issued the directions while hearing a petition challenging Qureshi’s arrest.
Similarly, another IHC bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir issued the directions for the release of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi’s wife Rabia Shehryar.
Justice Miangul Hasan heard the PTI leader’s petition against his arrest under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Act (3MPO). The court declared the arrest null and void and directed the concerned authorities to ensure his release after he signs an undertaking.
The judge asked Qureshi’s counsel to have a look at the undertaking submitted by another PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan yesterday and said that you may submit one like that as well.
Qureshi’s lawyers informed the court that they would submit the undertaking after consulting the PTI leader.
Qureshi was among the top PTI leaders arrested from Islamabad within 24 hours of the outbreak of violent protests by PTI workers following former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest as the government tightened the noose around the party. He was taken into custody in the early hours of May 11 after the police raided Gilgit-Baltistan House in Islamabad under Section 3 (3MPO).
The former foreign minister was arrested by the police in cases of riots and arsons 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.
Meanwhile, another IHC bench also ordered the release of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi’s wife, who was also arrested under the MPO.
Afridi’s wife was presented before the court of Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir. During the proceedings, the Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad police told the court that she had been taken into custody on reports that she and her husband had been involved in an attack on the military headquarters, the GHQ in Rawalpindi. He further said that she was arrested under provisions for maintenance of public order.
At this, the judge said that she is a housewife. Then, the IG said that the police respected women as well. However, Rabia’s counsel said that they have no respect for court orders.
Justice Tahir remarked that if an individual released by this court is arrested again, there will be serious consequences for that and warned the IG Islamabad that the court would not take disobedience lightly.
The judge said that the issue is that in the previous government, they saw the same thing. The IG Islamabad responded saying that they have evidence against her having been involved in activities. He added that housewives are even capable of murdering their husbands, they can be involved in matters beyond domestic issues as well.
The Islamabad deputy commissioner was also summoned before the court and he told the judge that Afridi and his wife were arrested on the information received from the Special Branch.
However, the IHC bench did not seem convinced and issued directions for her release after signing an undertaking.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.