The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday struck down the ruling of an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granting police eight-day physical remand of PTI MNAs arrested from Parliament House earlier this week.
According to the PTI, 10 of its MNAs—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—were arrested over their alleged role in violence at the Sept. 8 Sangjani rally. Following their appearance in the ATC, the PTI had filed a petition before the IHC seeking the dismissal of the physical remand.
On Thursday, a two-member bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz took up the petitions and suspended the ATC ruling after a brief hearing. The 10 MNAs were subsequently sent on judicial remand.
Resuming the hearing today, the bench heard arguments from both sides before reserving its verdict. It was announced a few hours later, with the ATC ruling set aside and the PTI lawmakers placed under judicial custody.
During the hearing, the IHC CJ questioned why the state required custody of the parliamentarians for eight days. At this, the prosecutor general read out the FIR, with the judge remarking that it was a “comedy” that would make a “great movie.” He then questioned what was left to recover from the accused that merited their physical remand.
“You have done whatever you had to do,” remarked the IHC CJ and said the same could have been accomplished with two days’ remand. “Ridiculous allegations were levelled in this case and eight days’ remand was allowed,” he said.