IHC restores DC Islamabad's MPO powers

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday restored the powers of the Islamabad chief commissioner and deputy commissioner (DC) to detain individuals under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), ARY News reported.

An IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri issued the orders.

An intra-court appeal was filed by the chief commissioner and interior secretary challenging the decision of the single bench comprising that declared the Islamabad DC’s authority to issue an MPO illegal.

The ruling came during the hearing of a petition against the detention of PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar.

Read more: IHC orders release of PTI’s Shehryar Afridi, Shandana Gulzar

The IHC had earlier suspended PTI leader Shehryar Afridi’s arrest warrants under maintenance of public order (MPO) and ordered his immediate release.

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.

The court also indicted capital Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon and three others for contempt in Afridi’s case.

DC Memon and SSP Zafar pleaded not guilty to the charges and also apologised unconditionally to the court. The court also indicted SP Farooq Buttar and SHO Naseer Manzoor with contempt of court, however, both denied the charges.