challenging Sec-144 Court grants govt time to respond

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has granted time to the capital’s administration to explain under what legal authority Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was imposed and used to detain citizens.

IHC Justice Athar Minallah accepted an assistant commissioner’s request seeking time to submit a reply.

On November 2, the court issued notices to the inspector general of police and the chief commissioner, directing them to nominate an authorised officer to appear before the court on November 3 to explain the situation.

PTI MNA from Islamabad Asad Umar had petitioned the court to challenge the imposition of Section 144 and the ban on using loudspeakers in the federal capital, while simultaneously requesting the court to remove police officials stationed outside the residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan. He also sought court’s intervention in connection with the detention and arrest of PTI activists ahead of the party’s planned protest on November 2.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2016.