ISLAMABAD: Irfan Siddiqui, senior columnist and adviser to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has filed an application in the Islamabad High Court, asking it to quash the FIR registered against him over the alleged violation of the Tenancy Act.

Mr Siddiqui was arrested on July 26 from his home in Sector G-10/3 under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code on allegations of violating the Tenancy Act.

He was produced before Assistant Commissioner Mehreen Baloch handcuffed. She sent him to jail on 14-day judicial remand. However, the magistrate convened the court the next day and granted Mr Siddiqui bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000.

Mr Siddiqui in his petition contended that the government bestowed on him Hilal-i-Imtiaz in recognition of his services in the field of journalism and education.

He said he had held the position of press secretary to the president and adviser to the prime minister.

The petition claimed that the case against him was baseless and registered for political vendetta. He said he was handcuffed for violation of the Tenancy Act which pertained to the property he never owned.

Mr Siddiqui in his petition has nominated the Ramna police station SHO, investigation officer, district magistrate and assistant commissioner as respondents.

It may be mentioned that Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa had expressed his annoyance over Mr Siddiqui’s arrest during a high-level meeting, which was also attended by Inspector General of Islamabad Police Mohammad Amir Zulfikar, Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, the Intelligence Bureau director general and office-­bearers of SaarcLaw.

CJP Khosa, who presided over the meeting, also conveyed to the IG that such events were giving a bad name to the judiciary.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2019