Shehryar Afridi allowed to go home

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday allowing PTI leader Shehryar Afridi to go home said it will indict the city deputy commissioner (DC) and a police official for contempt of court.

PTI leader Shehryar Afridi had filed a plea against his ongoing detention under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance.

The decision comes a day after the IHC had issued show-cause notices to DC Irfan Nawaz Memon, Inspector General Dr Akbar Nasir Khan, Chief Commissioner and other police officials for “criminal contempt of court for abuse of authority to obstruct dispensation of justice and cause diversion to the course of justice”.

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IHC Justice Babar Sattar took up Afridi plea today and sought responses from the various officials who were summoned as per the court order from yesterday.

DC Memon appeared in the court to represent the district magistrate while IG Khan and the chief commissioner were also present.

The PTI leader was present in the court as well along with his counsel Sher Afzal Marwat

The DC informed the court that the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had alerted him that Afridi “could attack the district courts”.

The judge then asked, “How could Shehryar Afridi plot an attack on the court while he was in jail?” Did he have access to the media and a mobile phone?“

DC Memon replied, “According to intelligence reports, Shehryar Afridi spread incitement. There are also reports of him being involved in plans of attacking the district courts. His name also came up in the campaign against the judiciary.”

He again sought answers from the police officials about the “situation in Islamabad on May 8” — a day before PTI chairman Imran Khan was arrested, which led to violent incidents countrywide.

He then ordered the IG to submit a detailed report about the matter to the court.

The court declared the deputy commissioner and SSP operations response to the show-cause notices as “unsatisfactory”.

“DC and SSP operations will be charged in the next hearing,” the IHC said.

During the hearing today, the court inquired whether Mr. Afridi has any house in Islamabad. “Yes, I have a residence in Islamabad,” Afridi replied to IHC.

At this, the IHC ordered his release and prevented him from leaving Islamabad.

The court also directed Afridi not to make statements on media and social media.

“No statement should be made on social media,” IHC judge Sattar told Afridi.

“I expect you to not give a statement until this case is being heard,” the judge said, adding that nothing from Afridi’s side should come on any media channels or social media.

Afridi was first arrested on May 16 from his Islamabad residence under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance, 1960. He was rearrested on May 30 under the same section soon after his release from prison.