May 05, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1428

RAWALPINDI, May 4: Home department of the Punjab government was directed to submit its reply to a writ petition challenging detention orders of five Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) activists.

Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench Judge Sajjad Hussain on Friday asked the home department to submit its reply in this regard within a week and put off the hearing till May 11.

Malik Amir Fida Paracha advocate had filed a writ petition challenging the detention orders of five PPP workers — Malik Mazhar Hussain, Rana Shaukat, Sher Afgan, Mohammad Saleem and Pervez Akhtar.

In the petition, the Punjab chief secretary, district police officer (DPO) and station house officers Pirwadhai and Sadiqabad had been made respondents.

The advocate, in his petition, stated that these party workers were detained on the directives of the Punjab home department and were sent to various jails in the province.

The counsel contended that this detention of political workers negated human rights and values of political freedom.

Advocate Malik Amir Fida Paracha told Dawn that he prayed before the court that the orders passed by the Punjab chief secretary might be declared null and void and all detained persons should be released unconditionally without any further delay.

The advocate said these persons were arrested on different dates when the hearing in the case of chief justice was being held by the Supreme Judicial Council.

They were arrested to prevent them from taking part in the protests in front of the Supreme Court.