23 political detainees released

The Islamabad district administration on Thursday submitted a report to the high court stating that the 23 people who were arrested under the maintenance of public ahead of the rally of a political party have been released on submission of surety bonds.

The additional deputy commissioner told the court that workers of the political party resorted to arson and siege and considerable damage was done to the infrastructure.

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition against the arrest of PTI activist Kamran Malik and others.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Rana Waqas submitted a report in court on the release of the PTI workers.

According to the report, 23 people were released on court orders after taking surety bonds from them. The court was told that 10 people did not submit surety bonds while 37 people have been sent to jail.

He said that these people were taken into custody considering the situation in the city.

The prisoner’s van was stopped and attempts were made to get some people out of the van forcibly, he said.

The IHC chief justice said that action should be taken only against those persons against whom the FIR has been registered.

the judge said that the Supreme Court has directed that only those against whom there was a criminal case can be taken into custody.

Earlier on Wednesday, the IHC had ordered the release of 70 workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who had been detained by the police and local administration under the maintenance of public order.

Earlier, the Islamabad deputy commissioner appeared on a court notice and said that the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) had received a threat that a foreign agency may target the political party in question. He said that the political party was not allowed to hold a meeting following the agency's report.

The official told the court that it was reported that protesters had collected sticks and sticks and were planning to storm metro bus stations. He said that there were also reports that vehicles with government number plates have also been attacked by workers of the said political party and around 70 people have been detained under the MPO on the report of various agencies.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2022.