Usman Danish
A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court, comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah, has given a significant verdict on the petitions of the accused arrested under 3 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order).
After hearing the arguments of the petitioner’s lawyers and the Advocate General, the court suspended the notification of 3 MPOs issued by the Deputy Commissioners on May 10 and ordered the release of the arrested accused.
During the hearing, the courtroom was filled with lawyers and others, and the Advocate General highlighted the need to listen to the Attorney General’s input. The court was informed about the incidents that occurred on May 9 in various districts, including Peshawar, Swat, and Abbottabad, which led to the deployment of the army to restore law and order.
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the events of May 9 were followed by the release of Imran Khan, and no untoward incidents took place thereafter. However, concerns were raised about the arrests made under 3 MPOs, including the detention of children as young as 9 years old.
In response to these concerns, the court inquired about the status of the detained children and expressed its disapproval of the blank orders issued under 3 MPOs. The judges also discussed the enforcement of Article 245 and the registration of FIRs against the arrested individuals.
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After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its decision and later pronounced a brief judgment. The court suspended the notification of 3 MPOs issued by the Deputy Commissioners and directed the release of the arrested accused.
The court also set a requirement for a surety bond of 100,000 and suspended the notification until May 30. Furthermore, a notice was issued to the Attorney General for the next hearing.
It is worth noting that earlier, the Swat Bench of Peshawar High Court, Lahore High Court, and Islamabad High Court had also accepted similar requests and ordered the release of the accused arrested under 3 MPO.
According to the police, out of the total 1200 people arrested for causing damage to private and public property, as well as engaging in arson, 450 were arrested under 3 MPO.
