The Islamabad High Court (IHC) overturned the anti-terrorism court’s (ATC) decision to grant an eight-day physical remand for PTI MNAs arrested earlier this week from the Parliament House.
The arrests occurred late Monday night and into Tuesday morning, with at least ten PTI members detained over alleged involvement in violence at the September 8 Sangjani rally. The lawmakers taken into custody included Sher Afzal Marwat, Malik Amir Dogar, Ahmed Chattha, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Zubair Khan Wazir, Awais Haider Jakhar, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Nasim Ali Shah, and Yousuf Khan Khattak.
On Thursday, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz heard petitions from the detained lawmakers, leading to the suspension of the ATC’s physical remand verdict. The judges ordered that the MNAs be held on judicial remand instead.
During the hearing, Justice Farooq criticized the FIR’s contents, describing them as “good comedy” and questioning the justification for an eight-day physical remand. The court’s skepticism was evident as Justice Farooq mocked the details in the FIR and expressed disbelief over the severity of the allegations.
The case against the PTI MNAs had faced considerable scrutiny, and the court’s decision followed a significant outcry from PTI. The lawmakers were later presented in the National Assembly, and Speaker Ayaz Sadiq took actions against security staff and Capital Development Authority officials involved in the raid.
The controversy surrounding the arrests and subsequent legal proceedings highlights ongoing tensions and challenges within Pakistani politics.
