IHC orders immediate release of Shireen Mazari, judicial inquiry

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court Saturday night ordered immediate release of PTI leader Shireen Mazari.

The court also ordered the federal government to carry out a judicial inquiry related to the arrest of the former federal minister.

The ex-minister was presented in IHC CJ Athar Minallah’s court as the judge had earlier ordered to produce Mazari before him at 11:30pm after her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari filed a plea against her mother’s arrest.

PTI leader and former federal minister Shireen Mazari alleged that she was tortured and would tell the court each and every thing about her arrest and torture on her.

Mazari further alleged that she was dragged out of the car and her cell phone was not returned so far.

"Shehbaz Sharif and Rana Sana Ullah are behind my arrest," the former minsiter further alleged while talking to reporters while walking.

At the ouset of the hearing, Mazari told the court that she was stopped on the Motorway for an hour and a male doctor tried to conduct her medical examination as they did not have a female officer with them.

Anti-Corruption Punjab officers were taking instructions on the phone, she said, adding her bag was also searched without a warrant, while she had still not been given her phone back.

The PTI leader further told the court that there was another person with the anti-corruption officials and he probably was with the ISI.

At this, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah ruled that the government had not taken any action on enforced disappearances. "These incidents happen when the Constitution is not respected. Every government exhibits woeful behaviour on constitutional violations."

Mazari told Justice Minallah that she was 70 and sick but was still subjected to torture.

The chief justice remarked: "This court will not compromise on its jurisdiction. The abduction of Matiullah Jan has not been probed till date."

At this, the deputy attorney general replied: "We cannot work 24/7. Work on Matiullah Jan's case is ongoing and we will conclude the investigation soon."

The chief justice wondered how it was possible that no one knew the details of Mazari's arrest.

The advocate general, meanwhile, thanked the court for opening its doors late night. "The political parties will now have to acknowledge that the court is here to ensure constitutional protection even at night."

Mazari's daughter requested the court to order a judicial inquiry — a request that was granted as the chief justice ordered Mazari's release until the probe was conducted.

Prior to the start of the hearing, Mazari was brought to the high court by Islamabad police, whose officers flanked her as she walked into the court premises. Outside the court, she was reunited with her daughter Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir.

When asked again that on whose order she was arrested, Mazari responded: "This we do not yet but those who were taking me to Lahore, they said Rana Sanaullah and Shehbaz Sharif. The torture that they have done on me, I will tell it all."

The IHC reopened late night and outside its usual working hours after Mazari's daughter filed a petition against her mother's arrest.

In a three-page court order, the high court said that when it has already given orders that no MNA can be arrested without the permission of the Speaker of the National Assembly, and since Mazari is still an MNA on account of not having been de-notified form her seat, then "under what authority of law the fundamental rights of Dr Shireen Mazari were violated?".

The court issued directives for the interior secretary and also summoned Islamabad Inspector General of Police Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon.