LAHORE: The deputy commissioner told the Lahore High Court that PTI Secretary General Asad Umar had been detained for 30 days for violating the public order.

Justice Chaudhry Shehram Sarwar was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the wife of Umar, seeking his release after he courted arrest following‘jail bharo tehreek’of the PTI.

A law officer filed a report on behalf of Lahore DC Rafia Haider that stated that the PTI leader had not been detained for any personal grudge or enmity. It said the DC issued the detention order of the petitioner’s husband only for the purpose of maintaining law and order.

The DC asked the court to dismiss the petition since the petitioner had not availed the first remedy under the law by filing an appeal before the government.

The judge adjourned further hearing till March 10 and directed the petitioner’s counsel to come up with his reply after going through the report of the DC.

On Feb 27, the court was told that nine leaders of the PTI arrested during the party’s ‘jail bharo tehreek’ had been detained for 30 days.

Reports filed by the Punjab home and prison departments revealed that PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi had been detained in the jail of Attock, secretary general Asad Umar in Rajanpur, former governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema in Bhakkar, Senator Waleed Iqbal in Layyah, Senator Azam Swati in Rahim Yar Khan, Murad Raas in D.G Khan, Muhammad Khan Madani in Bahawalpur, Azam Khan Niazi and Ahsan Dogar in Layyah.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2023