ISLAMABAD - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday restrained the federal police from unnecessarily harassing the leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
A single bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the directions while hearing a petition filed by former advocate general Islamabad Niazullah Niazi against the alleged harassment by the police.
During the hearing, the IHC bench raised question over the Islamabad police’s list of PTI leaders who were ordered to submit surety bonds. However, the bench restrained the police from unnecessarily harassing citizens.
Justice Athar asked that what kind of lists the police were making. At this, the state council stated that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had made a list of PTI leaders who were asked to give surety bonds.
The IHC CJ termed it harassment and asked that how they could have asked for surety bonds. The police informed the court that the list was prepared by the Special Branch and was passed to the police through IGP office. The police maintained that they were following orders and had asked for surety bonds because of potential peace disturbance during the expected long march. The petitioner’s counsel maintained that only the magistrate could order surety bonds and not the police.
Justice Athar termed the procedure adopted for surety bonds as illegal and directed the state council to satisfy the court on the next hearing. Later, the court deferred the hearing in this matter till the next week.
The petitioner Niazullah Niazi had approached the IHC against the alleged harassment from the police claiming that the BaniGala police station had made a list of PTI leaders who were to submit surety bond before the long march.