Islamabad DC and SSP given jail sentence for contempt of court. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has handed down sentences to key officials in the federal capital over charges of contempt of court.
Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Jameel Zafar, and Station House Officer (SHO) Naseer Manzoor of Kohsar Police Station were found guilty of ordering the detention of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance.
The court’s ruling saw Deputy Commissioner Memon receiving a six-month prison sentence, while SSP Zafar and SHO Manzoor were sentenced to four and two months respectively.
Each official was also fined Rs100,000 as part of the judgment.
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However, the IHC has temporarily suspended the implementation of these sentences for a month, allowing Deputy Commissioner Memon the opportunity to appeal the decision.
This development comes after the IHC had previously indicted Memon and three other police officials, including SSP Zafar, on September 7, 2023, in connection with the contempt case related to the detention of PTI leaders.
The detention orders against PTI leaders Afridi and Gulzar were suspended by the IHC on August 16, with the court ordering their immediate release.
The detention stemmed from the aftermath of riots that erupted on May 9, following the earlier arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan. Despite pleading not guilty and offering unconditional apologies, the IHC declined the plea for unconditional pardon from the detained PTI leaders.
Furthermore, the absence of DC Memon from court proceedings resulted in his name being placed on the no-fly list, with a show-cause notice issued to him for his non-appearance.
As Islamabad DC and SSP given jail sentence for contempt of court, this case underscores the importance of upholding judicial integrity and adherence to legal procedures within the law enforcement apparatus of Pakistan’s capital city.
