Azhar’s mother approaches LHC to produce her son, disclose basis of his arrest and detention
Hammad Azhar. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday granted police a 20-day physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hamad Azhar in the Jinnah House attack case during the May 9 riots for further investigation and recovery of his mobile phone.
Azhar was arrested in Multan on Sunday and handed over to Lahore police for further proceedings. He was detained near the RA Bazaar area after being taken into custody from the home of a close friend. Azhar was wanted in several cases related to the May 9, 2023 protests and had been declared a proclaimed offender in a case involving an attack on the Government Officers’ Residence (GOR) Gate.
The case proceedings were held before the Lahore ATC today amid tight security. ATC Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan announced the reserved decision after hearing arguments on the prosecution’s request for Azhar’s physical remand.
The prosecution had sought Azhar’s physical remand, maintaining that his custody was required for further investigation and to recover his mobile phone. However, Azhar’s counsel opposed the remand request, arguing that Azhar had been implicated in a fabricated case and should not be handed over to police custody.
Earlier during the proceedings, the judge ordered media representatives and all other unrelated persons to leave the courtroom, allowing only lawyers and investigating officials to remain present.
The judge told media representatives that they would be called back once the proceedings began and directed all non-relevant persons, including journalists, to leave the courtroom.
Plea landed in LHC for Azhar’s production
Earlier, Azhar’s mother, Ishrat Azhar, approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) for the recovery and production of her son, alleging that he was taken into custody from Multan two days ago but had not been produced before any court so far.
The petition was filed through Barrister Abuzar Salman Khan Niazi under Article 199 of the Constitution. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore, DIG Operations Lahore, and others were made respondents.
The petitioner asked the LHC to direct the respondents to immediately produce Azhar before the court or the competent court and disclose the complete and lawful basis of his arrest and detention.
Read: PTI leader Hammad Azhar arrested from Multan in May 9 cases
The petition also sought immediate access for the detainee to his legal counsel and reasonable communication with his family members, in accordance with the law. It further requested the court to direct the authorities to place on record the FIR, arrest memo, remand order, detention order, if any, and all other documents under which Azhar is being kept in custody.
Azhar’s mother also urged the court to declare any detention of Azhar otherwise than in accordance with the Constitution and law as unlawful and without lawful authority. The petition sought any other relief deemed just and proper by the court in the circumstances of the case.
Azhar arrested over May 9 protests
The cases against Azhar stem from the events of May 9, 2023, when PTI founder Imran Khan was arrested at the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case. His arrest triggered widespread protests across Pakistan, during which demonstrators attacked and set fire to government buildings and military installations.
Azhar was subsequently named in a number of cases related to the violence. Police sources said he had been declared a proclaimed offender in one of the cases after failing to appear before the court, which later issued permanent arrest warrants against him.
He was wanted in connection with a case involving an attack on the gate of the Government Officers’ Residence (GOR) in Lahore, while police said he was also a nominated accused in more than 50 cases linked to the 9 May violence.
An anti-terrorism court had declared Azhar a proclaimed offender over his continued absence from proceedings. He later approached the Lahore and Peshawar high courts seeking protective bail.
Following the registration of the cases, Azhar resigned from his party position. PTI had previously assigned him responsibility for leading the party’s Punjab chapter.
The PTI has consistently rejected the cases against its leaders and workers as politically motivated, accusing the government of using state institutions to suppress the party and its political opponents.
