Sher Afzal’s detention challenged in LHC

Marwat was transported to Mozang police station, later to Kot Lakhpat jail.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday issued notices to the deputy commissioner of Lahore and set a deadline of December 18 to submit a response in a plea challenging the detention order leading to the arrest of PTI Senior Vice President Sher Afzal Marwat under 3MPO.

The court, under the leadership of Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry, was urged to annul Marwat's detention order, declaring it illegal and unlawful.

The petitioner, Khalid Lateef Khan, Marwat's brother, filed the plea through counsel and senior lawyer Latif Khosa.

The petition asserts that despite repeated requests by accompanying lawyers, no FIR, arrest warrant, or detention order was presented by the police officials.

Khosa highlighted the absence of any intelligence report before December 14 and argued that the intelligence report issued on the same day when Marwat was in Lahore demonstrated malicious intent by the deputy commissioner and senior police officials.

The petition implores the court to recognize that the detention order was issued solely based on assumptions, lacking any evidence or historical evidence of disturbance by Marwat.

The petition further contends that there was no imminent danger to public peace or safety, and the presence of the PTI leader in the provincial capital posed no threat to law and order.

Marwat's arrest on December 14 involved a heavy police contingent acting under 3MPO, detaining him for 30 days based on intelligence reports suggesting his potential to assemble a mob, attack government buildings, sensitive installations, and disrupt peace, thereby endangering innocent lives.

The arrest occurred in front of the LHC's main gate as Marwat exited the premises after attending a lawyer convention.

Despite arguments, he was taken into custody and subsequently transported to Mozang police station and later to Kot Lakhpat jail.