Relief for PTI; IHC issues release orders for Shandana Gulzar and Shehryar Afridi

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shandana Gulzar and Shehryar Afridi after suspending their arrest warrants under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

The IHC had previously ordered that both Shandana Gulzar and Shehryar Afridi be presented in court.

IHC conducted a hearing against the detention of both the leaders under the MPO on Tuesday.

Afridi’s lawyer Sheer Afzal Marwat told the court 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 asked, “Before this, which MPO order was passed by the deputy commissioner?”. The order against Shehryar Afridi was then read aloud by the counsel.
The lawyer told 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 asked, “Where the MPO has not been issued?” To this question, the lawyer told the court that MPO orders have not been issued in Balochistan and Sindh.

Justice Babar Sattar remarked, “If you have to keep a citizen in custody, you will have to provide reasons.”

The court restricted Shehryar Afridi from speaking on media or social media until the trial ends.