ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday indicted Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP Operations) Jameel Zafar and two others in a contempt case pertaining to prolonged detention of PTI leaders Shehryar Khan Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
Justice Babar Sattar, hearing the case, also indicted SP Farooq Buttar and Station House Officer (SHO) of Margalla Police Station Nasir Manzoor in the same case.
Justice Babar Sattar heard the contempt case against deputy commissioner and SSP Operations ICT with regard to abuse of authority in issuance of detention orders against PTI leaders Shehryar Khan Afridi and Shandana Gulzar.
At the outset of hearing, DC Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon and SSP Operations Jameel Zafar submitted their written clarification into the case and extended unconditional apology. Advocate General Ayaz Shaukat also opposed the indicting of the officials and prayed the bench to not indict them as the officers have extended an unconditional apology.
Justice Sattar asked that how can we not indict them, the matter of contempt of court was under way here yet the DC issued another MPO order. Addressing the officials, Justice Sattar said you would be sent to jail if you were convicted. It was a six-month sentence wherein you may also live in jail and see how those who you sent to jail live there, he remarked.
Justice Sattar remarked that the court had fixed this date to frame the charges against the officers. At this, the DC said that the purpose of his order was not to violate the court order at all. He then extended an unconditional apology to the court, which was rejected.
Then the court read out the indictment order against the officers. However, the accused denied the charges against them. Justice Babar Sattar said that the charge sheet had been read against the accused in open court and now they could legally defend their case during the trial.
The court appointed Advocate Qaiser Imam as prosecutor in the case and adjourned further hearing.
It may be mentioned here that Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar had filed separate petitions before the IHC against their prolonged detention under MPO Ordinance, 1960.