Notification to arrest Irfan Sidddiqui was not publicised, DC tells IHC

Justice Amir Farooq presides over case pertaining dismissal of case against Irfan Siddqui

ISLAMABAD: The authorities had not followed the rule of publicising a notice before arresting eminent scholar Irfan Siddiqui for violating a clause of rental law.

Siddiqui was arrested in July under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for not informing the relevant police station about giving his house on rent. He was later released on bail.

However, he filed a case against the filing of an FIR against him.

During the hearing on Thursday, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat confessed before the Islamabad High Court that the notification issued for arresting Irfan Siddiqui was not publicised.

Justice Amir Farooq was presiding over the case pertaining dismissal of case against Siddqui on Thursday.

Judge remarked that it was mandatory to publicise a notification through electronic and print media so that it became widely known.

Justice Farooq asked DC to provide any evidence if the notification was advertised on any form of media to which DC replied that it was not made public.

The counsel of petitioner, Tanvir Iqbal, said that a notification with the signature of DC was prepared just for a formality.

He alleged that the signatory of the notification was not DC.

Shafqaat was shown the notification and he said that he had signed it.

The court summoned a detailed report from district administration and adjourned the case until November 22. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2019.