The Islamabad High Court (IHC) handed down sentences to Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon and two other officials for contempt related to the detention of PTI leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
Memon received a six-month prison term, while Superintendent of Police Jameel Zafar and Station House Officer Naseer Manzoor faced four and two months, respectively, alongside fines of Rs100,000 each. The court, however, suspended these sentences for a month, allowing Memon time to appeal.
The sentencing by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) came after the court indicted Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon and three police officials on September 7, 2023, for the illegal detention of PTI leaders. This action followed an earlier court decision on August 16, where the IHC had annulled the detention orders of the PTI leaders, ordering their prompt release. The initial detainment was linked to their alleged involvement in the riots of May 9, which ensued following the arrest of PTI Chief Imran Khan.
Despite Memon and Zafar’s pleas of not guilty and their apologies, the IHC rejected their requests for pardon and took further measures against Memon, including placing him on a no-fly list for missing court proceedings. He was also issued a show-cause notice for his absence.
The arrest and re-arrest of Afridi, initially detained under the MPO Ordinance on May 16 and again on May 30 following a brief release, led to legal challenges. After securing bail from the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench on August 3, Afridi was once again detained by Rawalpindi police post-release from Adiala jail. His lawyer approached the IHC, seeking Afridi’s release and the cancellation of the MPO order.
