PHC declares PTI leaders arrest under MPO 'illegal'

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Wednesday suspended the detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), ARY News reported.

A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Arshad Ali announced the reserved verdict and quashed the MPO orders of deputy commissioners.

Similarly, the PHC also ordered the release of arrested PTI leaders and activists under 3-MPO.

May 9 events

It is pertinent to mention here that several PTI lawmakers and members had been arrested following the May 9 violence, wherein military installations including General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and Corps Commander House Lahore were attacked after the arrest of party chairman Imran Khan.

Violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan was arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court (IHC) on May 9.

The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers are agitated due to their chairman’s arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order.

Army installations and Corps Commander’s house in Lahore came under attack during a protest of PTI workers.