Contempt case related to PTI leaders’ detention: IHC indicts DC, SSP and two others

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) indicted Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP Operations) Jameel Zafar and two others, in a contempt case related to prolonged detention of PTI leaders, Shehryar Khan Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.

A single bench of Justice Babar Sattar, on Thursday, heard the case and also indicted SP Farooq Buttar and Station House Officer (SHO) of Margalla Police Station Nasir Manzoor in the same case.

Justice Sattar started the contempt of court proceedings against the DC Islamabad and SSP Operations ICT with regard to abuse of authority in the issuance of detention orders against PTI leaders, Afridi and Gulzar.

During the hearing, DC Islamabad Memon and SSP Operations Zafar submitted their written clarification of the case and extended an unconditional apology. Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat also opposed the indictment of the officials and prayed the bench not to indict them as the officers have extended an unconditional apology.

Upon that, Justice Sattar asked how can we not indict them, the matter of contempt of court was underway here yet the DC issued another MPO order. Addressing the officials, he said that you would be sent to jail if you were convicted.

He remarked that it is a six-month sentence, wherein, you may also live in jail and see how those who you sent to jail live there. He also remarked that the court had fixed this date to frame the charges against the officers.

Then, the DC said that the purpose of his order was not to violate the court’s order at all and extended an unconditional apology to the court, which was rejected.

Later, the IHC bench read out the indictment order against the officers. However, the accused denied the charges against them. Justice Babar Sattar said that the charge sheet had been read against the accused in open court and now they could legally defend their case during the trial.

The court appointed Advocate Qaiser Imam as prosecutor in the case and deferred the hearing.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023