Arrest of ex-MNA’s son challenged in PHC

PESHAWAR: Detention of the son of former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Shahabuddin from Bajaur district under maintenance of public order (MPO) was challenged in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday.

The deputy commissioner of Bajaur detained Jalaluddin, son of Shahabuddin, former MNA and PML- N leader on April 24 under Section-3 of the MPO. It was submitted in the petition that Jalaluddin has been detained in the Central Prison Haripur for a period of one month.

The petition is filed through senior lawyer Abdul Latif Afridi in which DC Bajaur was made a party.

It was submitted in the petition that father of the petitioner is elected twice as MNA and presently leader

of the PML-N and spearheaded the movement of the merger of erstwhile Fata with the KP province in and outside of the parliament during the previous government. However, it said that the full integration of this region had been opposed by the bureaucracy tooth and nail and detention of the detainee was a punishment for the political struggle of the father of the petitioner. “Father of the petitioner speaks for rights of the people and has always vocally demanded the protection of fundamental rights of the people and their treatment in accordance with the law,” stated the petition. The petitioner pointed out that Bajaur deputy commissioner is making efforts to advance policies and safeguard the interests of the PTI government and consider the detainee’s father as the strongest political rival.

“Obviously respondent No 1 (DC) wishes to gain the support of the ruling party in a bid to achieve better and higher positions,” the petition stated.

It said that the impugned detention order is a heap of lies as it is not based on any cogent and reliable evidence. The petition said that the allegations were directed to malign and defame the family of the petitioner.