Former PM Khan Party activist Sanam Javed released after court declares arrest ‘illegal’
ISLAMABAD: Sanam Javed, a leading activist in former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was finally released on Thursday after an Islamabad court declared his arrest “illegal” and allowed him to move to his home in Punjab, his lawyer confirmed.
On May 9, 2023, after Khan was arrested in a corruption case, hundreds of his supporters took to the streets across the country, allegedly looting military and other property. Thousands of people, including Javed, were arrested in the aftermath, and some were tried in military courts after authorities promised to bring the perpetrators of the violence to justice.
Javed has been booked in 12 cases and has been in custody for more than a year since the May 9, 2023 riots.
Thursday’s verdict by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) followed earlier relief given to Javed when the same court on Monday ordered her release and directed police and other law enforcement agencies not to arrest her again.
“The IHC has declared Javed’s arrest illegal and barred her from being arrested again in any case filed up to today (July 18),” her lawyer Ali Ashfaq told Arab News.
Balochistan police this week sought Javed’s arrest in a similar case registered last year, following which her father, Javed Iqbal Khan, filed a petition in the IHC challenging the lawfulness of her detention.
Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, in his verdict, said the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) had assured the court that “Javed will not be arrested under any circumstances” and that the Balochistan police would not file a request in the Islamabad court for Javed’s transfer to Balochistan.
The judgement also said Javed was free to travel to his home in Punjab. Justice Aurangzeb, however, warned PTI activists to exercise utmost caution and discretion in what they say on social media.
Ashfaq said Javed has been arrested in 12 different cases, 11 of which were under the Anti-Terrorism Act — seven in Lahore, three in Sargodha and one in Gujranwala.
He said the court had also questioned the legality of numerous police cases based on a single allegation made in different places.
“On July 15, the court ordered that she not be transferred out of Islamabad’s jurisdiction and not arrested in any other case,” he said.
Ashfaq said the court had asked the AGP to appear in person and justify that whatever had been done was in accordance with law.
“Today, I received a message from the Attorney General about half an hour before the court opened and met him at his office, where he assured me that Mr Javed will not be arrested anywhere in Pakistan to resolve this matter,” Ashfaq added.
He said authorities had assured that police cases against Javed in Islamabad and Balochistan would be dropped.
“While four police cases have been dismissed, the remaining eight have been granted bail and their trial proceedings will take place in the concerned courts,” he said.
“Politically motivated incident”
The PTI says it is facing a crackdown and mass arrests of its members for supporting Khan, who has been jailed since August last year – allegations denied by Pakistani authorities.
Last week, Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were arrested by Pakistani authorities in a case involving the illegal sale of government gifts after a court accepted their appeal against a ruling that they had violated Pakistan’s marriage law and ordered their immediate release.
Khan and his wife were sentenced to seven years in prison and fined by a court in February for their illegal marriage in 2018. Bushra was accused of failing to complete the Islamically mandated waiting period, known as “iddat,” after divorcing her previous husband and marrying Khan.
The former prime minister has been jailed since August last year after being convicted on four charges, two of which have since been suspended and he was acquitted of the third, meaning the Idat case remains the only reason he remains incarcerated.
Khan, considered Pakistan’s most popular politician, has said the case against him is “politically motivated” and aimed at preventing him from returning to power, a charge Pakistani officials deny.
