LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking permission to have access to PTI leader Hammad Azhar for his family and lawyers.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi heard the petition filed by Hammad’s mother Ishrat Azhar.

Barrister Abuzar Salman Niazi, on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that an application seeking permission to meet Hammad had earlier been filed before an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

However, the trial court did not pass any order on the plea and merely forwarded it to the police, he said.

He argued that an accused was legally entitled to meet his family members and lawyers.

The counsel alleged that the police officials were not even allowing them to enter the police station.

He said Hammad had been sent on a 20-day remand, which he intended to challenge, but the absence of meetings was preventing him from signing the power of attorney.

“This is affecting our constitutional right,” the counsel argued.

The bench asked whether an application had been submitted to the jail superintendent for obtaining Hammad’s signatures on the power of attorney.

Barrister Niazi clarified that Hammad was not in jail but in police custody.

The government law officer told the court that Hammad was a political personality. He said around 50 people come to the police station daily seeking permission to meet arrested accused persons.

He said a person named Arsalan had brought books for Hammad in police custody.

The law officer further submitted that biometric verification of a petitioner was also required along with the power of attorney to challenge the remand, but such facilities were not available to suspects in police custody.

Justice Rizvi questioned whether this meant that Hammad’s remand could not be challenged.

The law officer said an application could be submitted to the police to this effect.

The judge observed that the government’s own statement indicated that biometric verification could not be conducted in police custody.

“If this is the case, the petition appears to be justified,” Justice Rizvi remarked.

The bench subsequently reserved its verdict on the petition.

Hammad was arrested in Multan earlier this month and handed over to Lahore police in connection with the cases related to the May 9 riots, including the attack on Jinnah House.

Notices: The Lahore High Court on Monday sought replies from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), the chief secretary and other respondents on a petition filed by Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari seeking permission to record her online statement as complainant in a case of her alleged fake video.

Justice Abher Gul Khan heard the petition, which also challenged a judicial magistrate’s and a sessions court’s decision turning down her request.

A counsel for the minister submitted that the petitioner could not appear before the trial court due to security concerns. However, he said, the trial court had overlooked the circumstances by not seeking a threat assessment report.

He asked the high court to set aside the orders passed by the courts below and allow Bukhari to appear and record her statement through video link.

The judge issued notices to the respondents for submission of replies by the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026