IHC suspends physical remand of PTI leaders arrested over rally violations

The Islamabad High Court has suspended the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders who were arrested in connection with cases registered during a recent party rally.

The decision was issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, following petitions filed by the arrested members of the National Assembly.

During the hearing, the Prosecutor General opposed the suspension of the remand, arguing that such a decision could send a "negative signal."

Chief Justice Farooq responded, questioning what negative impression could arise from the order.

He further observed that if the court issued such an order, the accused would be sent to judicial custody, and the remand order could not be upheld in its current form.

The defence counsel argued that the trial court had extended the remand without providing sufficient reasoning, asserting that lengthy physical remands should be avoided.

The prosecutor, however, defended the remand decision by reading out the details of the FIRs filed against the accused.

The Islamabad High Court has postponed the case until tomorrow, with a special two-member bench expected to hear the matter at 10 am despite the usual absence of such a bench on Fridays.

This development comes as ten arrested PTI members were recently issued production orders to attend the National Assembly session.

Previously, police stormed the parliament on Tuesday, arresting several prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Sahibzada Hamid Raza, head of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

A day after PTI ventured into a legal minefield to stage its rally in the capital, the government wasted no time on Monday to arrest its leaders for flouting the last-gasp laws hastily enacted ahead of the highly anticipated event – widely seen as a test of embattled party's political muscle.

Sources revealed that the lights inside the National Assembly (NA) were turned off before officers in plain clothes entered the building.

The arrests started rolling in, with Islamabad police arresting PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, and Advocate Shoaib Shaheen outside the parliament.

In addition to the political leaders, two security personnel stationed outside the Parliament Service Centre were also detained.

The cases, registered at Sangjani and CTD police stations, involve serious allegations under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024.”

Despite multiple warnings from officials, the rally continued with anti-state speeches being delivered from the stage. According to the FIR, at approximately 8:30 pm, law enforcement requested the organisers to halt the event, but the crowd remained. By 9:30 pm, Magistrate Asim Ali Zaidi and DSP attempted to approach the organisers behind the stage, where the situation escalated.

Several policemen, including Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Safe City Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police Muhammad Shoaib Khan, were injured in clashes with PTI workers here on Sunday.

According to the police spokesperson, these police personnel were injured due to stone pelting by PTI protesters and violent commotion by them. The injured cops were shifted to hospitals for treatment.