LAHORE: The Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court on Friday ordered immediate release of renowned anchorperson Aftab Iqbal after suspending the “detention notification”.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti ordered the Inspector General of Prisons to present journalist Imran Riaz Khan by 6:00 PM in court today.
It should be noted that Anchorpersons Imran Riaz Khan and Aftab Iqbal were arrested by the police on Thursday. Imran Riaz Khan was arrested at Sialkot Airport for allegedly inciting violence during clashes between security forces and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Anchor and television host Aftab Iqbal was reportedly arrested from his farmhouse in Lahore.
The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) had condemned the arrest of the two anchorpersons, noting that attempts to curb the freedom of expression cannot be tolerated and demanding the immediate release of the journalists.
LHC Chief Justice Bhatti presided over two petitions that contested the two journalists’ unjustifiable incarceration. The petitions demanded that after the detainees were released from the illegal police custody, they be brought before the court.
As proceedings got underway, anchorperson Aftab Iqbal was presented before the court. Chief Justice Bhatti questioned the legal basis for detaining the journalist.
The law officer responded that the deputy commissioner, considering the current law and order situation, had ordered his custody under Section 3MPO. The officer argued that the deputy commissioner possessed the authority to detain someone under the mentioned section.
Nonetheless, suspending the detention notification, the Chief Justice ordered the release of Aftab Iqbal. He also sought replies from the relevant authorities by the next hearing date.
