IHC suspends physical remand of PTI MNAs

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the eight-day physical remand of PTI MNAs arrested in connection with cases registered against them following the September 8 rally, ARY News reported.

As per details, the court’s two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, heard the petitioners’ arguments.

The petitioners’ lawyer argued that the physical remand order was unlawful and the trial court had not provided any reasons for granting remand.

He also stated that the prosecution had failed to provide any evidence against the accused. The IHC bench suspended the physical remand order and directed the prosecution to present its arguments on the matter on the next hearing.

The court also issued notices to the Advocate General Islamabad and the Prosecutor General and adjourned the hearing until tomorrow, September 14.

Earlier today, five Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNAs, including Amir Dogar, approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the eight-day physical remand order.

The petitioners stated that as elected members of the National Assembly they were illegally arrested from the assembly premises without any reason and taken to an unknown location.

Later, the court approved their eight-day physical remand. The petitioners argued that the remand order violates Article 4 and 10-A of the Constitution. They further stated that the FIR does not specify their role in the alleged offense and that no one was injured during the alleged firing incident.

The petitioners requested IHC to declare the physical remand order granted by ATC as illegal and unconstitutional.

Read more: SIC’s Hamid Raza, more PTI leaders arrested outside parliament

PTI MNAs including party chairman Barrister Gohar were arrested by Islamabad police following prior approval from NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

On Monday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Shoaib Shaheen were arrested. The Capital police arrested MNAs Zain Qureshi and Sheikh Waqas Akram from inside the Parliament House.

Additionally, police detained Owais Ahmed Chatha, Syed Shah Ahmed, Sunni Ittehad Council’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Yousaf Khan, Maulana Naseem Shah, and Ahmed Shah Khattak.

Sources said Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq allowed arrest of PTI MNAs outside the premises of the house. The development followed after police presented a copy of FIR registered against the PTI lawmakers for violating SOPs during September 8 public rally.

Additionally, three cases have been registered under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill in Islamabad, citing violations of the event’s NOC. The FIR names 28 individuals, including PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Omar Gul, Zartaj Gul, Aamir Mughal, Seemabia Tahir, and Raja Basharat.

Earlier, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister reached KP CM House safely after 7-hour absence following crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders.