Shehryar Afridi’s arrest: IHC fixes Aug 28 for indictment of Islamabad DC, SSP

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court is to indict the federal capital’s deputy commissioner (DC) and senior superintendent of police (SSP) operations on August 28 for arresting Shehryar Afridi in cases pertaining to Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) despite court orders.

The IHC also asked the Islamabad inspector-general of police (IGP) to reveal the names of the relevant officers who gave the ‘source report’ on the basis of which Afridi was arrested, according to Dawn news.

Issuing the written order for contempt of court case against DC Irfan Memon and Operations SSP Jameel Zafar, Justice Babar Sattar stated that the replies submitted by the two and the district court magistrate on show cause notice issued over Afridi’s arrest were unsatisfactory.

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The court observed that the high court had annulled the MPO against Afridi in June but the district magistrate issued another order based on a ‘source report’ illegally. It further noted that once the MPO issued by the Rawalpindi DC expired, another MPO was issued by the Islamabad DC.

The court observed that prima facie it appears that the Islamabad DC violated the orders of this court. The DC belittled the justice system by implying that court orders are not binding for the city administration, noted Justice Sattar, adding that the district magistrate could submit another reply elaborating on the matter if he so wishes.

The IHC directed the federal capital’s IGP to inform the court of the SHO and DPO who gave the ‘source report’ in question.

The court issued show cause notices to the relevant officials and sought replies by the next hearing.