KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Saturday release 12 doctors and paramedics detained for allegedly rioting and clashing with police during a protest near SM Law College on Friday.

Police resorted to baton-charge and used water cannon to stop hundreds of healthcare workers from marching on the Chief Minister House on Friday. They arrested protesters’ leaders Aijaz Kaleri, Dr Mehboob Ali, Muhammad Zaheer, Dr Waris, Dr Shafiq, Syed Azeem, Muhammad Asif, Dr Mustafa, Riaz Ahmed, Mashooq Ali, Muhammad Saleem and Nazeer Ahmed.

On Saturday, the investigating officer produced them before Judicial Magistrate (South) Saeed Ahmed to seek their physical remand in police custody for interrogation.

He requested the magistrate to grant 14-day remand of the suspects in police custody for interrogation and completion of investigation and other legal formalities.

However, Advocates Mohammad Nawaz Dahri and Shahid Soomro, who appeared for the detained doctors and paramedics, opposed the IO’s request for their clients’ remand.

They argued that the police had arrested the healthcare workers in blatant violation of their fundamental rights to association and freedom of speech.

The counsel asked the court to release all the protesters.

After hearing arguments, the magistrate discharged all the detained health workers from the case for the time being under Section 63 of the criminal procedure code (CrPC).

A case was registered at the Arambagh police station under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2022