LAHORE: On Monday, the Lahore High Court issued an order for the release of Sher Afzal Marwat, a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while hearing a petition challenging his arrest.
During the hearing, the government presented a reply to the court regarding Marwat’s arrest. In response, advocate Mohsin Abbas argued that the petitioner should take the matter to the appropriate forum to address the detention.
Sher Afzal Marwat had been arrested on December 14 under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Video footage from the incident showed lawyers attempting to intervene and rescue Marwat as police personnel dragged him towards a police vehicle.
The government stated that the detention order was issued by the deputy commissioner and requested the court to dismiss the petition against the detention.
Following the hearing, the Lahore High Court ordered the release of Sher Afzal Marwat.
Supreme Court Rejects Election Delay, Emphasizes Timely Conduct of General Elections on February 8
In another development, the Supreme Court has unequivocally rejected any potential delay in the February 8 general elections, asserting that objections to delimitation cannot be raised after the issuance of the election schedule.
The three-member bench, led by acting Chief Justice of Pakistan Sardar Tariq Masood and including Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Athar Minallah, made this ruling while hearing an appeal against the delimitation of two provincial constituencies in Quetta.
The bench invalidated the Balochistan High Court’s decision, which altered the delimitation of two provincial seats in Sherani and Zhob. These changes had been contested by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
During the hearing, Justice Minallah questioned how high courts could exercise rights that are exclusively granted to the ECP by law. Justice Shah emphasized the need for the court to establish boundaries on this matter.
