Shehryar Afridi was rearrested under the same section on May 30 despite a release order.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Sept 7th, 2023) Islamabad High Court (IHC) has formally charged Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon and three police officers, including Senior Superintendent of Police Jameel Zafar, in connection with a contempt case related to the detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
On August 16, the IHC suspended the detention orders for the PTI leaders and ordered their immediate release.
The PTI leaders had been detained in connection with the May 9 riots, which erupted following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan earlier in the year.
During the recent hearing, IHC Justice Babar Sattar presided over the case, with DC Memon and SSP Zafar presenting their responses.
Islamabad Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat appeared as the prosecutor and offered an unconditional apology on behalf of the accused. Justice Sattar suggested that the accused should spend time in jail to understand the seriousness of their actions.
Although DC Memon and SSP Zafar pleaded not guilty and offered apologies, Justice Sattar reminded them that the case could result in a maximum sentence of six months in jail.
The court also charged SP Farooq Buttar and SHO Naseer Manzoor with contempt of court, though both denied the allegations. Lawyer Qaiser Imam was appointed as the prosecutor for the case by the IHC.
Shehryar Afridi was initially arrested on May 16 under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance, 1960, from his Islamabad residence.
Despite a release order, he was rearrested under the same section on May 30. He was granted bail by the Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi bench on August 3, but he was taken back into custody by Rawalpindi police shortly after his release from Adiala jail.
In response, Afridi's lawyer filed a plea in the IHC, seeking his release and the revocation of the MPO order.
