IHC issues arrest warrants for DC Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has issued warrants for the arrest of Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon in connection with the illegal detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar.

IHC judge Justice Babar Sattar presided over the contempt of court proceedings against DC Islamabad, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Malik Jameel Zafar and Superintendent of Police (SP) Farooq Amjad Buttar.

During the hearing, SSP (Operations) Malik Jameel Zafar and SP Farooq Amjad Buttar appeared before the court with their legal representatives. However, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon failed to attend despite being summoned.

In his defence, DC’s lawyer Raja Rizwan Abbasi informed the court that the deputy commissioner had to go for Umrah with his mother. Justice Babar Sattar questioned the absence, highlighting the lack of prior notification to the court. The lawyer explained that Memon’s departure was at his mother’s insistence and that he was currently in Khairpur.

Justice Babar Sattar emphasized that the court did not grant the DC’s request for exemption from today’s hearing.

Subsequently, the IHC directed the Islamabad police inspector-general to apprehend Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz and present him before the court.

On August 16 last year, the Islamabad High Court had suspended the arrest order against Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), permitting their release. The court also decided to initiate criminal proceedings against SSP (operations) and the Islamabad deputy commissioner.

On September 7, the IHC initiated a contempt of court case against Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon and other officials regarding the prolonged detention of Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the MPO.