Police secure remand for Khadija

'We have submitted bail application before court', lawyer says

QUETTA:

A local court in Quetta handed over the famous fashion designer, Khadija Shah, to police on a three-day remand on Tuesday. Khadija Shah was produced before the anti-terrorist court judge in Quetta in connection with the May 9 rioting case.

She was arrested by Quetta police on charges of murder and attempted murder. Khadija Shah was brought to Quetta from Lahore the other day.

Quetta police had filed an application in the ATC seeking transit remand, citing a murder and attempted murder case registered against Shah in Quetta’s Bijli Road police station. The police said in the application that the suspect’s warrant had been obtained from the ATC of Quetta.

“Khadija Shah has been arrested in connection with May 9 protests outside BA Mall,” Syed Iqbal Shah Advocate, the counsel for the fashion designer, said. “We have challenged the arrest of Khadija Shah,” Syed Iqbal Shah stated. Quetta police requested the court to hand over Khadija Shah for a 14-day remand. However, the court approved a three-day remand on the request of the counsel of Khadija Shah.

“We have submitted bail application before the court,” he said.

Read ATC grants two-day transit remand of Khadija Shah

On the other hand, Lahore High Court’s division bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi turning down a request to suspend Anti-Terrorism Court’s transit remand order of fashion designer Khadija Shah, sought replies from the concerned quarters by December 14. Khadija Shah’s husband contested a two-day transit remand granted by the ATC court to Balochistan police, acknowledging its request for her transit remand. This was based on the need to conduct an investigation in a case registered by Quetta police and to present her before the relevant court.

During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel argued for the withdrawal of Khadija Shah’s detention order. Subsequently, the Balochistan police’s request for her transit remand was deemed questionable, as it was done without informing the ATC about the Lahore High Court’s order. There was also an alleged lack of awareness on the part of IGP Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar regarding this incident, raising concerns about the sincerity of the involved departments.

The petitioner’s counsel further argued that the detention order had expired on December 10. After its withdrawal by the government, questions arise about the basis on which Khadija Shah was held in illegal custody, especially considering she had been granted bail in all cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2023.