ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) indicted the deputy commissioner of Islamabad for contempt of court in relation to the arrest of Shehryar Afridi.
District Commissioner Irfan Memon and SSP Operations Jameel Zafar submitted their responses in court. The advocate general Islamabad offered an unconditional apology.
However, Justice Babar Sattar rejected the apology and proceeded to read out the indictment. Justice Sattar noted that the district commissioner should present his explanations during the trial. The district commissioner pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Sattar pointed out that the district commissioner could potentially face up to six months in jail if found guilty. The judge also recommended that the district commissioner experience time in jail firsthand in order to observe the repercussions of individuals being incarcerated as a result of his directives.
The Islamabad High Court previously ordered the release of Shehryar Afridi, who was detained under the MPO. However, the district commissioner promptly issued a re-arrest order under the MPO, citing the receipt of a ‘source report.’
The court had ruled that the subsequent re-arrest amounted to undermining the court’s orders. Justice Sattar also commented that arrest orders under the MPO were synchronized to keep individuals in jail even after the court had ordered their release.
IHC Puts A Halt To Arrests Of Shehryar Afridi And Shandana Gulzar In Any Case
Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued a directive, commanding authorities to avoid making any arrests of PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar within the confines of Islamabad.
On August 16, the high court granted permission for the return home of PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar, as it considered their pleas against their prolonged detentions under the MPO ordinance.
The police had previously arrested the two leaders for their involvement in the May 9 violence.
The court declared its intention to charge Irfan Nawaz Memon, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the city, and a senior superintendent of police (SSP), with contempt of court.
During the proceedings, the State Council asked for a postponement of the case for today.
Justice Babar Sattar stated that his jurisdiction only covered Islamabad. He also made it clear that they would not hold the chief commissioner and IG accountable.
Irfan Nawaz Memon, the DC of Islamabad, informed the court that there are orders from various courts. He provided assurance that he would submit the report soon.
As a result, the court delayed the indictment proceedings of DC Islamabad and SS operations until September 7.
