DC, three others charged with contempt

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) formally charged Capital Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon and three others with contempt on Thursday in a case related to the prolonged detention of PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance.

Justice Babar Sattar, presiding over the hearing, oversaw the indictment proceedings, which also included the following officials: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Jamil Zafar, Superintendent (SP) Farooq Buttar, and Station House Officer (SHO) Nasir Manzoor.

On August 16, the IHC had suspended the detention orders for PTI leaders, and their immediate release was ordered. These leaders had been detained by law enforcement due to their alleged involvement in the May 9 riots, sparked by the earlier arrest of PTI Chief Imran Khan this year.

During today’s hearing, IHC Justice Babar Sattar presided over the proceedings, during which DC Memon and SSP Zafar submitted their replies. Islamabad Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat appeared as the prosecutor before the court.

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At the outset of the hearing, the advocate general presented his arguments against indicting the officials, urging the IHC not to proceed with the indictment, citing that the “officers have furnished an unconditional apology.”

Justice Sattar responded, “How can we not indict them? The matter of contempt of court was under way here, yet you issued an MPO order.”

Subsequently, the court rejected the advocate general’s plea and initiated the indictment proceedings.

Justice Sattar, addressing DC Memon, stated, “If you are sentenced, you will be sent to jail, at most. It is a six-month sentence. You may also live in jail and see how those whom you send to jail live there.”

In response, DC Memon replied, “The aim of this [detention] order was not to violate the court order at all.” He then offered an unconditional apology to the court, which was rejected.

Consequently, DC Memon was formally indicted, and his indictment order was read aloud.

The proceedings to indict SSP Zafar on the same charge were initiated. Justice Sattar read aloud the SSP’s indictment order, and he was charged with the offense, which he denied. At this point, the IHC asked him if he wished to defend himself, for which he sought more time from the court.

Similarly, SP Buttar and SHO Manzoor were also indicted on the same charges, with both denying the allegations.