PESHAWAR, Jan 7: Detention of the Arabs by the government and their handing over to the United States was challenged in the Peshawar High Court on Monday.

A PML leader and former MNA, Jawed Ibrahim Paracha, in a writ petition, has requested the court that the arrest of dozens of the Arabs— suspected Al-Qaeda members— and handing them over to the US without fulfilling legal requirements be declared illegal.

A single bench comprising Justice Tallat Qayyum Qureshi will take up the petition, filed under  section 491 of Criminal Procedure Code, for hearing on Tuesday.

The petitioner has also requested the high court to direct the government not to further handover any of the Arabs till final disposal of the writ petition. He contended that no person could be detained without production before the court within 24 hours of his arrest.

The government had neglected the legal formalities in the Arabs’ case, though they possessed valid documents including valid passports and visas, he added.