ISLAMABAD: Minutes after his release, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry escaped arrest as police moved to detain the former information minister as he left the Islamabad High Court (IHC). .
After getting bail from the IHC, Fawad was still sitting in his car and barely moved when he saw the Anti-Terrorism Squad personnel moving towards him.
As soon as he saw the policemen moving towards him, the PTI leader ran out of his car and into the IHC premises to avoid arrest. He is currently back in the courtroom with his lawyers.
Interestingly, the police moved to arrest the PTI leader despite submitting an affidavit of not violating Section 144 and participating in the protest.
Earlier today, the IHC declared the arrest of PTI leaders Fawad, Shireen Mazari and Senator Falaknaz as “illegal” under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Ordinance (MPO).
The orders for the release of PTI leaders were issued by Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb’s court while hearing separate petitions.
During the hearing of Fawad Chaudhry, Islamabad Advocate General Barrister Jahangir Jadoon appeared before the single judge bench.
He informed the court and said that I want to place some facts before the court, the copy of the court order was not given to the IG office and law officers. He further said that the PTI leader’s biometric verification was also not done on the request.
On this, the judge reprimanded the lawyer and said that he is not a judge and it is the authority of the court to see whether the biometric has been done or not.
Going forward, the AG took the stand that Fawad Chaudhry was not arrested in any case. If an arrest was made under a case, it was necessary to produce it in court.
Barrister Jadoon added that Fawad had to prove by his conduct whether he was a peaceful citizen or not. He further said that the nation lost billions due to the events of May 9.
On this, Justice Aurangzeb remarked that the court did not stop the authorities from taking action on these incidents.
However, Jadoon said that the court mentioned the MPO separately while stopping the arrest of Imran Khan. He further said that if they had stopped the arrest in cases only, the arrest could have been made under the MPO.
On this, the court asked who had suggested that an arrest could be made under the MPO.
On the court’s inquiry, the AG replied that no one had advised him, but he was unaware of the court order against the arrest.
The government lawyer then produced a tweet by Fawad, posted on May 10, which it said was a video of the PTI leader inciting workers to join the protest.
The government lawyer said that Fawad had said in his tweet that it was the responsibility of PTI workers to participate in the protest after the arrest of Imran Khan.
On this occasion, Babar Awan argued that by now the Deputy Commissioner must have known about the order of the High Court regarding the arrest. He requested the court to extend the order restraining the arrest of Fawad and to give time to his client to contact the concerned court.
The court then asked whether the police had shown any documents to the PTI leader at the time of arrest.
“When the order was read, the police officer said he did not know English,” Awan said. He added that his client was arrested on the basis of material which does not exist.
Justice Aurangzeb responded to the PTI lawyer’s claim that the events that took place after the arrest of Imran Khan should be taken seriously.
Fawad Chaudhry is an important person, ex-federal minister, doesn’t he know the crowd of Pakistan? Justice Aurangzeb asked the question.
When Fawad told people to get out, did he expect only law-abiding people to get out?
“If the district magistrate does not pass this [detention] order on this matter, then what should be done?” Justice Aurangzeb asked the question. He further said that the court had summoned Fawad to release him.
“He had not seen the material shared by the Advocate General today.”
After that the court had reserved the decision.
IHC declares Shireen Mazari’s arrest illegal
Earlier, Justice Aurangzeb, while hearing the petition, ordered the release of PTI leader Shireen Mazari, calling her arrest illegal under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
Iman Mazari, the daughter of the former human rights minister, approached the IHC for the release of her mother.
During today’s hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Zainab Janjua informed the court that the District Magistrate ordered the arrest of Shireen Mazari fearing that she might harm the law and order situation. He further said that the former minister is accused of inciting PTI workers.
However, the lawyer explained to the court that his client has been in court since May 9 and has not issued any public statement. He added that the location of the former ministers at home can be checked through CCTV footage and call data records.
On the hearing, the court inquired that what is the age of Shireen Mazari?
Janjua told the court that the PTI leader is 72 years old and has medical problems.
On this occasion, the Deputy Commissioner, who was working as the District Magistrate, appeared in the court.
However, the DC’s failure to come up with the records irked the court and it ordered the official to produce the material on the basis of which the detention order was issued.
The court then adjourned.
When the hearing resumed, the High Court declared the detention of the former human rights minister illegal.
The bench also ordered the release of PTI Senator Falak Naz, who was arrested under the same law as Mazari.
