Police 'disregard' IHC order, detain Mazari, Senator Naz again.

ISLAMABAD -- After the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered the authorities to release them from Adiala Jail, the capital police on Tuesday re-arrested Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari and Senator Falak Naz from outside the jail and moved them to an 'undisclosed' location.

Apparently, a similar attempt was made to detain Fawad Chaudhry as well, who had gotten relief from the IHC, but the PTI leader dashed back to the courtroom and sought blanket relief from the single-member bench regarding cases registered against him.

Separately, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi and his wife were detained from his house. A team of Margalla police under the supervision of a superintendent of police, along with paramilitary troops, raided the house of Mr Afridi.

The contingent entered the house after some officials scaled the walls to open the main gate.

The police shifted them to the Margalla police station. The wife was later shifted to the women's police station.

Shehryar Afridi

The officer said that the couple was taken into protective custody under 16 MPO (dissemination of rumours, etc.), he added. Another police officer said that a district magistrate was being approached to get 90 days detention order for the couple under 3 MPO (power to arrest and detain suspected persons).

IHC orders release

Earlier in the day, IHC Justice Miangul Aurangzeb granted relief to PTI leaders Fawad Chaudhry, Dr Shireen Mazari and Senator Falak Naz and ordered their release. Justice Aurangzeb also restrained the police from arresting former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser.

During the proceedings, PTI lawyer Babar Awan informed the court that Mr Chaudhry was detained despite a restraining order against his arrest. The court summoned the deputy commissioner and ordered the production of Fawad Chaudhry.

Mr Awan argued that when the PTI spokesperson informed the police officials about the restraining order and read out the text which was in English, the official retorted that he could not understand the language and arrested him.

Advocate General Barrister Jahangir Khan Jadoon opposed the release of Chaudhry and produced the detention order issued against Fawad Chaudhry along with some tweets which, according to him, 'incited' people to resort to violence.

Falak Naz

Justice Aurangzeb asked Mr Awan to justify the tweets. He replied that the PTI leader never incited the protesters against any institution.

Justice Aurangzeb remarked that Mr Chaudhry should...