ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Speaker on Friday declared the Parliament Lodges Islamabad as sub-jail for the 10 lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, arrested by the Islamabad police under Anti-Terrorism Act and newly imposed Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024.

The Islamabad High Court, on the other hand, set aside the physical remand of the PTI lawmakers, sending them to jail on judicial remand.

With regard to declaring the parliament lodges sub-jail for arrested lawmakers, an official of the National Assembly Secretariat wrote a letter to Secretary Interior, saying: “I am directed to refer to the production order issued on Sept 11 by the National Assembly Speaker in respect of the PTI lawmakers arrested recently to enable them to attend the sitting of 9th Session of National Assembly and to inform that in exercise of power conferred by sub-rules (3) of rule 108 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, the Honourable Speaker has been pleased to declare the Parliament Lodges, Islamabad, as sub-jail for their custody after each sitting of the National Assembly.”

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The MNAs who were arrested on different charges following the PTI pulic gathering at Sangjani include: Sher Afzal Khan from NA-41 Lakki Marwat, Malik Mohammad Aamir Dogar from NA-149 Multan II, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha from NA-66 Wazirbad, Makhdoon Zain Hussain Qureshi from NA 150 Multan III, Waqas Akram from NA-109 Jhang II, Zubair Khan Wazir from NA-42 South Waziristan Upper-cum-South Waziristan Lower, Awais Haider Jakhar from NA-182 Layyah II, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah from NA-33 Noshehra I,Nasim Ali Shah from NA-39 Bannu and Yousaf Khan from NA-36 Hangu-cum-Orakzai.

PTI men sent to jail following suspension of physical remand

Police officials told Dawn that that the suites allocated to these MNAs at the Parliament Lodges were the sub-jail for the MNAs and they were detained there.

These MNAs were arrested in connection with cases registered at Sangjani and at Noon Police station under several charges, they added.

There are no special arrangements and deployment in and outside the sub-jails (suites), as police were already present there, the officials said, adding that services of the available police officers and officials are being utilized for the jail superintendent and staff.

They said that under the written directives of the Speaker issued to the interior secretary the suites of the MNAs were declared sub-jail. So far any necessary notification in this regard is yet to be issue from the capital administration or police.

PTI lawmakers physical remand set aside

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday set aside the physical remand of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and local leaders, arrested following Sept 8 public meeting at Snagjani.

IHC division bench comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz while hearing the petitions of PTI lawmakers Amir Dogar, Sher Afzal Marwat, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Makhdoom Zain Qureshi, Ahmed Chattha, local leader Mohammad Shuaib Shaheen and others overruled the order of the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) of handing over their custody to Police on 8 days physical remand.

Subsequently, they were sent to jail on judicial remand.

During the course of hearing, Vice Chairman Islamabad Bar Council Adil Aziz Qazi, President and Secretary Islamabad High Court Bar Association Riasat Ali Azad, Shafqat Tarrar, senior lawyer Raja Aleem Abbasi and others appeared to represent the lawmakers including the members of Islamabad Bar Association.

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Justice Farooq observed all the remand granting order of the ATC Judge were identical and sought an explanation from the prosecution.

The advocate general Islamabad read out the FIRs registered against the PTI leaders. The court, however, termed the prosecution case as ‘comedy’ as the police claimed to have recovered pistols, baton and guns from the lawyers.

The chief justice noted that the PTI leaders were in custody of police for the last four days and there is no need to hold them on physical remand.

He expressed displeasure over the arrest of lawmakers from the Parliament House saying that the parliament is the mother of all institutions. The court subsequently ruled against the physical remand of the petitioners.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024