Ali Muhammad Khan, the head of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a former federal minister of state for legislative affairs, was ordered to be released on Wednesday by the Peshawar High Court (PHC).
The case against Khan’s detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) was considered by a two-member PHC bench made up of Justice Ejaz Anwar and Justice SM Atiq Shah on May 9 after widespread demonstrations erupted in response to the arrest of the PTI leader.
When the petitioner’s attorney, Ali Zaman, claimed that the former minister was detained by the Public Order Act, the advocate general informed the court that the administration has the authority to detain persons who violate law and order by MPO.
Justice Anwar commented on the situation and said those who gave a news conference were released but those who didn’t were detained once more. The court was referring to PTI leaders who announced their expulsion from the group after being repeatedly detained.
Justice Anwar questioned how such grave accusations could come to a press conference.
The former federal minister was detained by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police under the 3 MPO, according to Zaman, after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered his release.
After hearing the arguments, the PHC postponed making a decision.
The PTI leader was ordered to be released after posting two surety bonds of Rs. 100,000 each by the court in a brief decision later in the day. Other people arrested under 3 MPO also submitted pleas, which the court also approved.
