FIA told to quiz Pashteen in jail

PTM chief had been arrested since Dec 7 and had right to bail says lawyer

ISLAMBAD:

Islamabad High Court’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb on Friday ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen in jail in connection with the details of the cases against him.

During the hearing, lawyer Ataullah Kundi said Pashteen's co-accused had been granted bail and the FIA was waiting to arrest them again after their release. Justice Aurangzeb explained that the law was that when a person was already arrested, just proceed with the case.

The judge elaborated that it could not be that if an accused was released in a case, the authorities should wait for him to come out and then arrest them again. He added that a person arrested in one case could be implicated in another one and the investigation could be completed in jail.

Read ATC grants bail to Pashteen

Justice Aurangzeb elaborated that the high court had given a decision regarding the arrest of a person in one case in another one. “If the court’s decision is not challenged, it becomes final,” he added. The lawyer said Pashteen had been arrested since December 7 and he had the right to bail.

The judge remarked that he was not wrapping up the case. He warned the police to refrain from taking steps that if the government changed in the future and there was an inquiry, their careers would be ruined.

The court told the FIA to carry out its investigation in jail or it would order the case to be closed. The hearing was later adjourned.