ISLAMABAD   -      The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday summoned the Station House Officer (SHO) Aabpara along with the relevant record in the matter related to the arrest of former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri conducted hearing of a contempt petition filed by Sheikh Rasheed’s nephew through his counsels Intazar Hussain Panjutha and Naeed Haider Panjutha and directed the SHO to appear before the court along with the record of the case on the next hearing.

The Awami Muslim League (AML) chief and former interior minister Sheikh Rashid and his nephew filed contempt of court petition against the SHO Aabpara and requested the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him for violating the court’s orders.

During the hearing, the IHC bench asked Sheikh’s counsel to convince the court that how contempt is committed by the police. He added that the IHC only cancelled summon notices to Sheikh Rashid and not barred police from registering a case against him. Then, the bench directed the counsel to satisfy the court for contempt proceedings and decided to hear the matter with the main petition of former interior minister. Later, it deferred the hearing till February 6 for further proceedings.

The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that despite a very clear direction by this court to the respondent, he has not only ignored the order of the court yet went on to register a case on an application which was subject matter of the same petition and has arrested Sheikh Rashid in late hours of 01-02-2023 after breaking into his house. He adopted the stance that the registration of the said FIR is nothing but violation of order of this court and that section 3 of the contempt court Ordinance 2003 has clearly mentioned that non-compliance of the order of court will be tantamount to contempt of this case.

He contended that the clear violation of the order is tenable to cognizance of this court and the direction issued therein while the respondent has wilfully defied the order dated 01-02-2023 of this court and has committed contempt of court. Therefore, he prayed that contempt proceedings against Ashfaq Ahmad Warraich SHO, Police Station Aabpara, may be initiated under the Contempt Of Court Ordinance 2003 read with all other enabling law and be punished under the afore mentioned law for not complying with the order of this court dated 01-02-2023.