PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday stopped the provincial government and police from arresting former senior provincial minister and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Mohammad Atif Khan, in any criminal case till July 10.

A bench comprising Justice Abdul Shakoor and Justice Syed Arshad Ali again sought reply from the respondents including the provincial home department and the police to a petition seeking directives of the court for the government to disclose the number of cases registered against Atif Khan.

The bench adjourned the hearing till July 10 of the petition filed by a lawyer Nadeem Shah.

During previous hearing on June 27, the court had sought reply and details from the government about the cases wherein Atif Khan was required to police or any other law enforcement agency.

Seeks details about cases registered against Atif Khan

Advocate Shah Faisal Uthmankhel appeared for the petitioner and contended that Atif Khan was a law abiding citizen and had also remained a provincial minister.

He stated that the police and other law enforcement agencies had been conducting illegal raids on his residence, factory and other properties for apprehending him.

He argued that the government had not been providing details about the cases registered against Atif and had instead been involved in harassing him and his family members through illegal raids.

When Justice Arshad inquired why Mr Atif had not been appearing before the court, the counsel stated that they apprehended that either he would be arrested on way to the court or go missing.

He contended that Mr Atif was willing to surrender before the court and due to same reason one of their pleas in the petition was to provide him protective bail so that he could turn up before the court.

PROTECTIVE BAIL GRANTED: The Peshawar district and sessions judge granted protective/transit bail to former provincial minister Dr Amjid Ali till July 11 in a case registered in Swat after May 9 and 10 violent protests by PTI.

The judge Ashfaque Taj directed the petitioner to approach the relevant court by July 11.

The petitioner, hailing from Swat, was also arrested a few days ago on the order of Swat’s deputy commissioner under section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. However, the PHC Mingora Bench (Darul Qaza) granted him bail on July 3.

The petitioner’s counsel contended that his client had been charged in an FIR registered at Swat on May 11 with mala fide intentions.

Meanwhile, the court also granted interim pre-arrest bail to PTI’s Peshawar city president, Irfan Saleem, in a case registered against him by the anti-corruption establishment.

The court fixed July 10 for next hearing and referred his pre-arrest bail plea to the special (anti-corruption) court for further proceedings.

The ACE has alleged that Irfan Saleem, who is also a former town councilor, was involved in misappropriating government funds meant for developmental schemes.

It was also alleged that he had purchased several plots through embezzlement of public funds.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023