Arrests of PTI leaders and workers declared illegal in 11 districts of punjab: LHC orders their release
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Lahore High Court declared arrests of PTI leaders and workers unlawful and ordered their release forthwith.
The LHC Judge Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid ordered the release of party workers and leaders, arrested from 11 districts in Punjab — Lahore, Sheikhupura, Wazirabad, Jhang, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala, and Narowal.
The court also declared null and void the arrest of senior PTI leader Yasmin Rashid and ordered her release.
The leaders and workers of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf are facing the wrath of the state after the May 9 attacks on the military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commanders House.
The PTI workers also attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi on May 9, soon after the arrest of Imran Khan.
LHC Order in detail about arrests of PTI
In the order, the LHC Judge said unfortunately, unrest in the country ensued on May 9 after the arrest of a political leader.
“… [it] was flashed on media showing people came out for agitation and demonstrations and with no time it turned into unholy mob who committed mischief at different places in the country.”
According to the court, the government has opened a front, showing no application of mind, driven by passionate wishes; directed or dictated but not sound and logically started dragging the ordinary citizens in criminal litigation “with a ratio of one in 3 cases/proceedings minimum”.
Govt’s crackdown on miscreants
Meanwhile, the LHC Judge noted that the government launched an attack on the miscreants at the time when there was no law and order situation, a condition which necessitates for application of the law for detention.
“In case of criminal activity the government had sufficient time to collect the material and book the individuals in criminal cases so that one could know the nature of allegations to defend and answer the charge which is the essence of due process and access to justice as enshrined in Article 10-A of the Constitution.”
“The govt can overcome riots with force under the law as regulated under Section 127 to 132 of Cr.P.C. and not in the way the government adopted to pick and detain the citizens under the umbrella of Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960 without registration of criminal cases.”
