IHC frees Sanam Javed; imposes gag order until Thursday

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday ordered the authorities to release PTI activist Sanam Javed and stopped the police from arresting her till Thursday.

In his order, IHC’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb also advised the PTI activist to “avoid unnecessary rhetoric”, or else the court would reverse its order.

The decision has provided some respite to Ms Javed, who has been incarcerated for over a year after being booked in a dozen cases since May 9, 2023.

On Wednesday, the Lahore High Court discharged her in a case of May 9 riots registered in Gujranwala.

Three PTI leaders granted bail in cases of riots on May 9

However, soon after her release, she was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and brought to Islamabad.

On Sunday, a judicial magistrate cleared her from the case, but she was arrested again, this time by the Balochistan Police.

Her counsel filed a petition against the arrest, which was taken up by Justice Aurangzeb on Monday.

The judge sought the details of cases registered against Ms Javed during the last year.

Her counsel informed the court that Ms Javed was nominated in 12 different cases. She has been discharged in four cases registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and was on bail in seven others.

The counsel claimed that no case was registered against her in Islamabad, yet she was taken into custody.

Justice Aurangzeb summoned the FIA director general and Islamabad police chief with a direction to produce Ms Javed by 5pm.

She was then produced in the high court and allowed to meet her family and lawyers.

Justice Aurangzeb ordered the officials not to shift Ms Javed outside IHC’s jurisdiction as Balochistan Police was also present in the courtroom to take her to the province.

Earlier, Balochistan Police produced the activist before the Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas and sought transit remand to move her out of Islamabad.

The court was told that she was nominated in the FIR registered under Section 7 of the ATA.

Her lawyer told the magistrate that the IHC had already taken up the matter. Therefore, he shouldn’t issue any order on her transit remand.

The judicial magistrate then gave Ms Javed into the custody of Islamabad Police to produce her before the IHC.

PTI leaders get bail

In Lahore, an anti-terrorism court granted post-arrest bail to PTI Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid, former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry in separate cases of riots on May 9.

Judge Khalid Arshad allowed the bail petition of Dr Rahid in a case of attacking PML-N’s office in Model Town.

Mr Cheema and Senator Chaudhry were granted bail in two cases of allegedly torching police vehicles in Model Town and Gulberg areas of Lahore.

Later, the hearing was adjourned till July 20.

The judge also adjourned the hearing on pre-arrest bail petitions filed by former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry in a case of burning police vehicles near the Lahore Corps Commander House till the same date.

Wajih Ahmad Sheikh in Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2024