ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued orders to release Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar who had been taken into custody under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance.
IHC judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the petition of Asad Umar and remarked that “they won’t let you go until you hold a press conference”.
Umar’s lawyer Babar Awan told the IHC that they would not “hold a press conference”. Awan also demanded that his client be presented in the court.
اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ نے اسد عمر کی ایم پی او کے تحت گرفتاری کالعدم قرار دیتے ہوئے فوری رہائی کا حکم جاری کردیا-
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 24, 2023
The IHC judge said that Asad Umar’s cases were in front of him and if he issued an order today, “I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.” The court directed Asad Umar to submit a declaration and delete his provocative tweets.
The release orders comes after the police detained PTI’s senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi soon after he came out of Adiala jail on bail.
Earlier, former minister for human rights Shireen Mazari announced to quit the PTI and whole politics as she said her incarceration took a heavy toll on her fragile health.
Police and other law-enforcement agencies have clamped down on the PTI leadership and workers after rioters set public and army installations on fire after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan from the IHC premises on May 9.
Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Imran Khan was released on bail.
Meanwhile, Babar Awan announced his support for Imran Khan and said that no one can remove the party’s vote bank.
Talking to reporters outside the IHC Awan said, “I am standing by Imran Khan and millions of people are standing by him.”
