LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday expressed its displeasure over the non-production of fashion designer Khadija Shah, a grand-daughter of former army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua, before the trial court despite the expiration of her judicial remand in a case of an attack on Jinnah House.

The bench, headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi, was hearing a petition filed by Ms Shah’s father, former finance minister Salman Shah, and her husband Jahanzeb Amin.

SSP Investigation Dr Anoosh Masood appeared before the court and submitted a report in response to the petition.

The officer told the court that Ms Shah was not produced before the trial court because her identification parade had not been conducted. She said that the trial court extended the woman’s judicial remand until June 2 to complete the identification process.

Four PTI women sent to jail for identification parade for attack on corps commander’s home

Justice Rizvi observed that how the police obtained an additional judicial remand without presenting the woman before the trial court.

Advocate Sameer Khosa, representing the petitions, stated that the police had obtained custody of Ms Shah from the trial court on May 24 until May 30 and had shifted her to jail for her identification parade. However, he said, despite the expiry of the judicial remand, the police did not present her before the trial court.

He said that Ms Shah had been held in Kot Lakhpat jail and neither her family nor the legal team had been able to visit her.

The bench expressed dissatisfaction with the police report and directed them to produce Ms Shah on Friday (today).

Separately, a single bench comprising Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun, disposed of a petition filed by former finance minister Salman Shah, seeking details of cases against him and his family members.

The judge resumed the hearing on a petition filed by Mr Shah, and an additional advocate general submitted a report on behalf of the CCPO Lahore.

According to the report, the petitioner, his brother Syed Jarar Ali Shah and son-in-law Jahanzeb Amin were not nominated in any criminal case.

However, it said that the petitioner’s daughter, Khadija Shah, had been arrested on May 23 in a case related to the attack on Jinnah House, the residence of the Lahore corps commander, and was subsequently sent to judicial lockup for an identification parade.

A female associate of Advocate Siddique appeared before the court and requested an adjournment, stating that the senior counsel was out of the country.

The judge expressed annoyance towards the counsel for not attending the hearing without prior notification.

The judge imposed a fine of Rs3,000 on the counsel and instructed his female associate to deposit the amount with the bar’s dispensary.

However, the judge later withdrew the fine and disposed of the petition in light of the police report.

PTI women workers

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court sent four women workers of the PTI to jail on a six-day judicial remand for their identification parade in a case of attacking Jinnah House during the May 9 protests.

Sarwar Road police produced Farhat Farooq, Farah Khan, Sadaf Nadeem and Sania Sajid in the court with their faces covered. The police requested the court to allow their shifting to the jail for their identification parade.

Asked about their role in the protests, the women told the court that they deserved mercy even if they did something wrong. However, the women said they were innocent and they were not involved in any illegal activity.

Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar told the women that the identification parade was a legal process.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2023