LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday ordered the Punjab caretaker government on a petition filed by former minister Fawad Chaudhry to release Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers, who had courted arrest for the party’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, if they were not required in any criminal case.

Advocate Sikandar Zulqernain, on behalf of the PTI, argued that hundreds of political workers and leaders were detained and shifted to ‘undisclosed places’.

Calling them political prisoners, the PTI counsel said rules were clear in this regard. The sole purpose of the PTI movement was to coerce the caretaker government into announcing election date as per the Constitution, he said, adding that the party called off the drive soon after the Supreme Court ordered the election commission to consult the president to fix a date for holding the general elections in Punjab.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh earlier asked the counsel what was illegal in the arrest and detention of the PTI leaders and workers and “how is this petition maintainable when the party itself launched the Jail Bharo Tehreek”.

Issues notices to caretaker govt, police to submit replies on 7th

However, the judge directed the respondents to immediately release the persons mentioned in a list provided by the petitioner,

senior vice president of PTI Fawad Chaudhry, if they were not required in any criminal case and issued notices to the government and police for submission of replies by March 7.

Previously, the LHC was informed that PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi had been detained in Attock jail, secretary general Asad Umar in Rajanpur, ex-governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema in Bhakkar, Senator Azam Swati in Rahim Yar Khan, Murad Raas in D.G. Khan, Mohammad Khan Madani in Bahawalpur, Senator Waleed Iqbal, Azam Khan Niazi and Ahsan Dogar in Layyah.

Later around midnight, as PTI leaders Asad Umar and Zulfi Bokhari were released from jails, Hammad Azhar tweeted that the party would celebrate their ‘victory’ on Saturday evening after Imran Khan’s live address for which a big screen would be installed in Zaman Park.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2023