Islamabad [Pakistan], August 16 : Islamabad High Court, on Wednesday, ordered the release of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar as it heard their pleas against their prolonged detentions under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance, Dawn reported.
The court indicted City Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon and a senior superintendent of police (SSP) for contempt of court.
Both of them were arrested in connection with the May 9 violence.
The court had sought written replies from officials as to why they should not be punished by the court for obstruction of justice.
The decision comes a day after the IHC issued show-cause notices to DC Memon, Inspector General Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, the city chief commissioner and other police officials for “criminal contempt of court for abuse of authority to obstruct dispensation of justice and cause diversion to the course of justice”.
Afridi was first arrested on May 16 from his Islamabad residence and then he was rearrested on May 30 soon after his release from prison, as per Dawn.
On August 3, Afridi was granted bail by the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench but was later picked up by the Rawalpindi police soon after his release from Adiala jail.
A petition was subsequently filed by his lawyer in the IHC calling for Afridi’s release and for the MPO order to be set aside
Meanwhile, Gulzar was “allegedly” abducted by the Islamabad police on August 9. A petition was later filed by her mother in the IHC on the grounds of illegal arrest and violation of Articles 4, 9, 10A and 14 of the Constitution, calling for the police to produce her daughter in court.
In today's hearing IHC Justice Babar Sattar sought responses from the various officials who were summoned as per the court order from yesterday.
DC Memon appeared in the court today to represent the district magistrate while IG Khan and the chief commissioner were also present. The PTI leaders were presented in the court as well along with their counsel Sher Afzal Marwat, reported Dawn.
After hearing the responses of the DC and the SSP, Justice Sattar deemed them “unsatisfactory” and decided to indict both officials for contempt of court in the next hearing.
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