LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered on Thursday the authorities to release all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers from 11 districts in Punjab who were arrested following Imran Khan’s detainment, after declaring their detention orders illegal.
Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid ordered the release of party workers and leaders and declared their arrest illegal.
In its verdict, the court quashed the detention orders of PTI workers in Lahore, Wazirabad, Jhang, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujarat, Nankana Sahib, Gujranwala and Narowal.
‘‘The government has opened a front, showing no application of mind, driven by passionate wishes; directed or dictated but not sound and logically started dragging the ordinary citizens in criminal litigation with a ratio of one in 3 cases/proceedings minimum,’’ the court said.
PTI senior leader Dr Yasmin Rashid is also among those taken into custody under section three of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
Rashid is facing charges of hate speech against the state institutions and involvement in attacks on Jinnah House during the May 9 protests.
On May 13, the LHC had ordered her immediate release, saying that if she is not required in any criminal case, then she should be released.
However, the PTI leader was again arrested.
On May 29, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore had sent the PTI leader to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in the same case.
