IHC orders release of Shandana Gulzar

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended Shandana Gulzar’s arrest warrant under maintenance of public order (MPO). The court ordered her immediate release.

The IHC had earlier directed the authorities concerned to produce Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar before the court on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the IHC conducted a hearing against the arrest of Afridi and Gulzar under the MPO. The lawyer representing the PTI leader maintained that “this is the seventh MPO order passed against Afridi, and the accused has been in jail for 90 days.”

IHC judge Justice Babar Sattar inquired, “Before this, which MPO order was passed by the deputy commissioner?”. The counsel court then read out the order against Shehryar Afridi.

Afridi’s counsel, Sheer Afzal Marwat, informed the court, “Arrests were made in seven cases, but his client was later released on bail. Seven MPO orders issued against Shehryar Afridi so far have been declared illegal by courts.”

The court further inquired, “where the MPO has not been issued.” To this, the lawyer informed the court that Balochistan and Sindh are the two areas where MPO orders have not been issued yet.

The state counsel read out the MPO order. Justice Babar Sattar remarked, “If you have to keep a citizen in custody, you will have to provide reasons.”

IHC orders to produce Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar in court