{"id":20851,"date":"2023-11-03T13:08:37","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T13:08:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/court-unsatisfied-with-igps-justification-of-khadijas-arrest-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-11-03T13:08:37","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T13:08:37","slug":"court-unsatisfied-with-igps-justification-of-khadijas-arrest-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/court-unsatisfied-with-igps-justification-of-khadijas-arrest-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Court unsatisfied with IGP’s justification of Khadija’s arrest | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nLAHORE:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr Usman Anwar on Friday failed to provide the court with a satisfactory answer about designer Khadija Shah\u2019s arrest despite repeated queries.<\/p>\n

The Lahore High Court\u2019s (LHC) Justice Ali Baqar Najafi inquired the IGP over Khadija\u2019s arrest in a third case after being granted bail.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy was she arrested again? Why was the bail order delayed, and why wasn\u2019t she interrogated during custody?\u201d the court inquired while asking for a guarantee that the designer would not be arrested in another case if she is granted bail for the third time.<\/p>\n

The court was hearing a plea by Khadija, seeking contempt proceedings against police high-ups for deceiving the court regarding her arrest in a third case, despite a report mentioning only two FIRs against her.<\/p>\n

IGP argued that due process was followed in Khadija\u2019s arrest and claimed that there is \u201ca lot of evidence which proves the involvement of Khadija Shah in the May 9 riot cases\u201d. Justice Najafi noted that the IGP’s report was \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read <\/a><\/strong>ATC sends Khadija on 14-day judicial remand<\/a><\/p>\n

However, the court persisted and asked why the designer was arrested in a third FIR, right after being granted bail in two cases by the LHC\u2019s division bench. \u201cWhy did the police wait till the decision of the accused\u2019s bail? What are the actual reasons?\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Usman claimed that the case of May 9 riots is a \u201csensitive one\u201d and said, \u201cDevelopments occur with each passing minute. After conducting an investigation, the police found Khadija\u2019s involvement in another case.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked why Khadija was not investigated during her custody, the IGP blamed \u201csocial media influence and pressure on police officials\u201d following her arrest.<\/p>\n

Khadija\u2019s counsel, advocate Sameer Khosa, strongly opposed the IGP\u2019s version and said, \u201cWe\u2019re observing the harassment and abuse of law in this case. She had been in custody for a long time, but no statements from any other accused surfaced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more <\/strong>Khadija Shah incited people to riot on May 9: Lahore CCPO<\/a><\/p>\n

Consequently, the judge adjourned the hearing till November 10 as a deadline for IGP to submit a comprehensive written reply against Khadija\u2019s arrest in a third case.<\/p>\n

Khadija\u2019s bails in previous cases<\/strong><\/p>\n

On October 18, LHC granted post-arrest bail to Khadija in two cases involving the Askari Tower fire and the Jinnah House attack.<\/p>\n

The bench granted bails to the petitioner Khadija Shah after it was noted that during the investigation, the Investigation Officer (IO) had not recovered any material to connect the petitioner with the incident of fire or attacks on the properties mentioned.<\/p>\n

In the Askari Tower case, it was noted that the complainant had not specifically named the witnesses who disclosed the petitioner Khadija\u2019s name and role during the protest. Prosecution witnesses in their statement did not state a single word that they informed the complainant about the involvement of the petitioner in the instant case.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n