LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday issued notices to the Punjab caretaker government, the deputy commissioner (DCs) and police on a petition challenging the preventive detention of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Advocate Sher Afzal Marwat.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the petition filed by Advocate Adnan Kalaar.

The lawyer contended that the PTI leader was not involved in any illegal activity. He said the government issued a detention order for Marwat with mala fide intention and without any lawful justification.

He said the police apprehended the PTI leader from outside the LHC gate, which he called a glaring example of lawlessness.

The judge directed the respondents to submit replies to the petition by Dec 18.

Justice Chaudhry also sought replies from the government and the police on a petition by PTI leader Khayal Castro seeking details of cases registered against him.

Advocate Mian Irfan Akram appeared on behalf of the petitioner and told the court that his client was a former lawmaker of the PTI from Faisalabad. He said the police had been conducting raids at the petitioner’s residence without giving details whether any case was registered against him.

The lawyer asked the court to summon details of the cases against the petitioner and restrain the police from causing harassment to him and his family.

Separately, Justice Chaudhry overruled a registrar’s office objection on a petition by the PTI’s former MPA, Irfanullah Khan Niazi, seeking details of cases, if any, against him.

The judge directed the office to fix the petition for hearing.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan also filed a similar petition to the court.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2023