Court unsatisfied with IGP's justification of Khadija's arrest in third case

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr Usman Anwar on Friday failed to provide the court with a satisfactory answer about designer Khadija Shah’s arrest despite repeated queries.

The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Ali Baqar Najafi inquired the IGP over Khadija’s arrest in a third case after being granted bail.

“Why was she arrested again? Why was the bail order delayed, and why wasn’t she interrogated during custody?” the court inquired while asking for a guarantee that the designer would not be arrested in another case if she is granted bail for the third time.

The court was hearing a plea by Khadija, seeking contempt proceedings against police high-ups for deceiving the court regarding her arrest in a third case, despite a report mentioning only two FIRs against her.

IGP argued that due process was followed in Khadija’s arrest and claimed that there is “a lot of evidence which proves the involvement of Khadija Shah in the May 9 riot cases”. Justice Najafi noted that the IGP's report was “unsatisfactory”.

Read ATC sends Khadija on 14-day judicial remand

However, the court persisted and asked why the designer was arrested in a third FIR, right after being granted bail in two cases by the LHC’s division bench. “Why did the police wait till the decision of the accused’s bail? What are the actual reasons?”

Dr Usman claimed that the case of May 9 riots is a “sensitive one” and said, “Developments occur with each passing minute. After conducting an investigation, the police found Khadija’s involvement in another case.”

When asked why Khadija was not investigated during her custody, the IGP blamed “social media influence and pressure on police officials” following her arrest.

Khadija’s counsel, advocate Sameer Khosa, strongly opposed the IGP’s version and said, “We’re observing the harassment and abuse of law in this case. She had been in custody for a long time, but no statements from any other accused surfaced.”

Read more Khadija Shah incited people to riot on May 9: Lahore CCPO

Consequently, the judge adjourned the hearing till November 10 as a deadline for IGP to submit a comprehensive written reply against Khadija’s arrest in a third case.

Khadija’s bails in previous cases

On October 18, LHC granted post-arrest bail to Khadija in two cases involving the Askari Tower fire and the Jinnah House attack.

The bench granted bails to the petitioner Khadija Shah after it was noted that during the investigation, the Investigation Officer (IO) had not recovered any material to connect the petitioner with the incident of fire or attacks on the properties mentioned.

In the Askari Tower case, it was noted that the complainant had not specifically named the witnesses who disclosed the petitioner Khadija’s name and role during the protest. Prosecution witnesses in their statement did not state a single word that they informed the complainant about the involvement of the petitioner in the instant case.