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Sunday December 22, 2024

PTI's Shireen Mazari arrested again hours after release order

Islamabad High Court had declared Mazari's detention under MPO illegal and ordered her release earlier today

By Shabbir Dar & Web Desk
May 16, 2023
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari. — AFP/File
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari. — AFP/File

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari, who was released from Adiala Jail Tuesday evening on the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), was rearrested from outside the jail immediately afterwards, her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir confirmed. 

Senator Falak Naz, who was also released on the IHC's orders, was rearrested as well.

Both Mazari and Naz were arrested during the countrywide riots that erupted after PTI Chairman Imran Khan's arrest on May 9.

"Senator Falak Naz's family and I (& our lawyer) were waiting outside Adiala Jail to receive ama and Falak Naz. Islamabad Police arrested them from outside the jail while we were waiting outside the exit they told us to wait at. We have no idea where they have been taken," Mazari-Hazir tweeted. 

The rearrest was also confirmed by the PTI's official Twitter account.

Earlier today, IHC's Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb declared Mazari's arrest under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) illegal and ordered her release.

The decision was announced on a petition filed by the former human rights minister's daughter.

During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel Zainab Janjua informed the court that the district magistrate ordered Mazari's arrest fearing that she may cause the law and order situation to worsen. She added that the former minister was accused of inciting PTI workers.

However, her client had not even issued any public statement, the counsel argued. She added that the former minister's location at home could be checked through CCTV footage and call data records.

The court inquired about Mazari's age to which Janjua replied that the PTI leader was 72 years old and had medical issues as well.

At this point, the deputy commissioner, who was acting as the district magistrate, appeared in court.

However, the DC's failure to come up with the record irked the court and it ordered the official to appear with the material based on which the detention order was issued.

The court then took a break.

Once the hearing resumed, the high court declared the former human rights minister's detention illegal.

The bench also ordered the release of Senator Naz who was arrested under the same law as Mazari.