IHC orders to produce Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar in court

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the authorities concerned to produce Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar before the court on Wednesday.

Both the PTI have been kept in custody under the maintenance of public order (MPO).

On Tuesday, the IHC conducted a hearing against the arrest of Afridi and Gulzar under the MPO. The lawyer representing the PTI leader maintained that “this is the seventh MPO order passed against Afridi, and the accused has been in jail for 90 days.”

IHC judge Justice Babar Sattar inquired, “Before this, which MPO order was passed by the deputy commissioner?”. The counsel court then read out the order against Shehryar Afridi.

Afridi’s counsel, Sheer Afzal Marwat, informed the court, “Arrests were made in seven cases, but his client was later released on bail. Seven MPO orders issued against Shehryar Afridi so far have been declared illegal by courts.”

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The court further inquired, “where the MPO has not been issued.” To this, the lawyer informed the court that Balochistan and Sindh are the two areas where MPO orders have not been issued yet.

The state counsel read out the MPO order. Justice Babar Sattar remarked, “If you have to keep a citizen in custody, you will have to provide reasons.”

The court issued orders to produce both the PTI leaders in the court on Wednesday.

The court summoned the Islamabad deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police (operations) in person at the next hearing with an observation that why the contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated.

The court also directed the Islamabad police chief to personally appear and explain why action shoud not be taken against those who insulted the court.

Justice Babar Sattar said, “Whichever police officer has provided information to the district magistrate should also appear before the court.”

Furthermore, the court has also sought a record of the last three months MPO from the Islamabad deputy commissioner.