ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered release of over 650 people, including DJ Butt, a sound engineer of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who were arrested for violating Section 144.

Separately, a judicial magistrate also granted bail to PTI leaders Azam Swati, Shibli Faraz and Raza Ali Shah and ordered them to deposit Rs20,000 each as surety.

They were arrested for trying to stop a police van carrying scores of people to jail on Saturday.

DJ Butt, PTI leader Azam Swati among protesters released

Most people were held for violating a ban on pillion riding in different parts of the capital.

They included PTI activists and other people who were unaware of the invocation of Section 144 in Islamabad.

IHC Chief Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi late on Saturday took up the petitions filed to quash some 20 FIRs registered with different police stations.

On Saturday, a special magistrate sent 250 people, including DJ Butt, to Adiala jail on 14 days’ judicial remand. The same day, according to Niazullah Niazi, a PTI lawyer, the police arrested over 400 people.

After compiling the record of all arrests, the PTI lawyers filed petitions with the IHC in the evening. In routine, the court receives petitions till 1pm but in this particular case the IHC not only accepted the petition in the evening but its judicial branch also fixed it before the chief justice in the late hours.

The court issued orders for the release of the arrested persons after midnight. It also issued a notice to the government and sought reply on the petition.

The IHC registrar office on Sunday morning circulated the orders among all offices concerned, including the administration of Adiala jail, the inspector general of police and the SSP Islamabad.

On Sunday, when the police produced Azam Swati before judicial magistrate Shoaib Akhtar, his lawyers contended that the IHC chief justice had already ordered the release of 650 people and under the law of consistency Mr Swati also entitled to be released.

When the magistrate asked for the IHC order, the PTI lawyers tried to get a copy from the IHC additional registrar, Salamatullah. But the additional registrar had already left his office.

The lawyers then approached the offices of SSP, IGP and Adiala jail but failed to get the copy. The magistrate delayed his order for a couple of hours but finally accepted the bail plea.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014