LHC seeks cabinet’s decision on Khadija Shah’s detention order

Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Ali Baqar Najafi came down hard on the law officer on Friday over the delay in submitting the cabinet’s decision on a review application against the detention order of PTI supporter and fashion designer Khadija Shah.

Justice Najafi was hearing the plea filed by the detainee’s husband, Jehanzeb Amin, challenging the detention order of his wife and requesting the court to restrain the quarters concerned from removing or even transferring the detenue from the jurisdiction of Lahore, or from within the jurisdiction of this court.

As proceedings commenced, the law officer told the court that the matter had been forwarded to the cabinet, adding that it will be decided as early as possible in its meeting.

The petitioner’s counsel, advocate Sameer Khosa, strongly opposed the government’s conduct. He said the government was lingering the matter over one pretext after the other. Khosa said that several days had passed, but the matter was still pending.

Following the arguments, Justice Najafi directed the law officer to present the cabinet’s decision as early as possible.

Read Investigation officer fails to submit police records in Khadija Shah case

In earlier proceedings, Justice Najafi had directed the quarters concerned to decide as soon as possible the aforesaid application. Meanwhile, he had directed the petitioner to approach the additional home secretary, who will decide this application.

Advocate Khosa had raised serious concerns over the matter being delayed in an earlier hearing as well. He complained that the court had clearly directed the additional home secretary to decide the application on the same day, but the court's order was not complied with.

The counsel argued that Khadija had been in jail for six months, how could she be a danger to law and order.

Petition

Petitioner Jehanzeb Amin has contended that after his wife was granted bail in all cases, a detention order was issued to detain her illegally for 30 days.

He maintained that the LHC had earlier granted bails to her in two FIRs after the Lahore CCPO had submitted a report disclosing the registration of only two cases against her. However, right after that, she was arrested in a third undisclosed FIR.

Finally, a detention order was issued to detain her for 30 days.