The decision came after the leaders were held in custody by Islamabad Police under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 16th, 2023) The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) politicians Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar by suspending their detention orders.
The decision came after the leaders were held in custody by Islamabad Police under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
The detention stemmed from their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, which were triggered following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan earlier this year.
Afridi's initial arrest under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance occurred on May 16, followed by his rearrest on May 30 despite a release order. Gulzar was allegedly picked up by Islamabad police on August 9.
During the hearing, IHC Justice Babar Sattar inquired into the events and motivations behind the arrests. The court's directives included potential contempt of court proceedings against the Federal capital's deputy commissioner. While Afridi was allowed to go home, Gulzar's release was granted with restrictions on her movement within Islamabad.
Justice Sattar expressed dissatisfaction with the repeated arrests under the MPO order, declaring it "void." He also ordered contempt of court action against the Deputy Commissioner and charged the Senior Superintendent of Police, emphasizing that actions based on threat alerts should be grounded in solid apprehension.
The IHC's decision to suspend the detention orders reflects a significant legal development in the case of the PTI leaders, highlighting the complex interplay between legal measures, political activities, and maintaining law and order. The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks, indicating that the case's next steps will be closely monitored.
