In a major development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued directives for the release of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi while suspending the detention orders against him.
According to the details, IHC Justice Babar Sattar heard the case today as Afridi was produced before the court. The court set aside the detention orders under the MPO and issued directives for his release.
However, the court has barred PTI leader Shehryar Afridi from going outside the capital’s limits, while also asking him to refrain from issuing statements on mainstream and social media till the case was going on.
Read more: Video shows alleged physical torture on PTI’s Shehryar Afridi
Meanwhile, the court declared the deputy commissioner and SSP operations response to the show-cause notices issued to them as unsatisfactory. “DC and SSP operations will be charged in the next hearing,” the IHC said.
اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ کے جسٹس بابر ستار نے شخصی آزادی کے حوالے آئین پر عملدرآمد کرواتے ہوئے شہریار آفریدی جو 85 روز سے زائد جیل میں قید رہے انکی کی رہائی کا باضابطہ تحریری حکمنامہ جاری کردیاہے اور ساتھ شاندانہ گلزار کی 3MPO کے تحت نظر بندی کو بھی ختم کرکے رہائی کے احکامات جاری… pic.twitter.com/j4CToNY7O4
— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) August 16, 2023
During the hearing, Justice Babar Sattar inquired about the evidence related to the claim mentioned in the magistrate’s arrest warrant, which claimed that Afridi was involved in a plot to initiate an attack.
In response, DC Memon stated that the Intelligence Bureau provided information indicating that Afridi was possibly planning an attack on the district court.
Justice Sattar followed up by asking whether DC Memon had considered questioning the reliability of his source in terms of how Afridi could incite people while being held in custody.
In reply, the deputy commissioner of the federal capital stated, “I rely on the intelligence agencies as my sources of information. Additionally, there was a report against Afridi by the Special Branch.”
Read more: Shehryar Afridi protests against BBC’s article on his V-log
Justice Sattar termed the Special Branch’s report a “joke”, seeking the notification which allowed the arrest of the PTI politician. Justice Sattar also extended the court’s displeasure over Afridi’s repeated arrests in light of the 3MPO order and declared it “void”.
To clarify, Afridi was first arrested from his Islamabad residence under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance, 1960, on May 16. Despite a release order, he was immediately rearrested under the same section on May 30.
On August 3, Afridi was granted bail by the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench but was later picked up by the police soon after his release from Adiala jail.