LHC Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid orders release of PTI leader Dr. Yasmin Rashid

LAHORE, May 13 (SABAH): The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday ordered the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Yasmin Rashid who was detained during her party’s violent protests.

LHC’s Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid announced the verdict on a petition challenging the detention of Ms Rashid under 3 MPO. The judge suspended the notification and ordered the authorities to release her if she was not wanted in any other case.

Hearing a petition seeking her release, the court has ordered her release if she is not “required in any criminal case”. The petition stated that Yasmin Rashid was not named in a first information report filed at the Sarwar Road police station and was taken into “illegal custody”.

In another case, the high court ordered the release of 17 women workers of the PTI while hearing a petition filed by a citizen. The women workers and leaders were put in detention by the government for allegedly inciting violence and creating law and order situation in Punjab.

A spree of violent protests started on May 9 when PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the Islamabad High Court premises in a graft case.

During the protests, the angry PTI workers damaged several military, public and private properties across the country. The clashes between the PTI and police claimed eight lives while dozens were injured.

In response, the army had been called in by the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to help the local administration and police maintain law and order. The Punjab Home Department said the army had been called in under Article 245 of the constitution to assist the local administration.

Meanwhile, Punjab police spokesperson said on Friday that the number of detained PTI workers in the province had reached 2,790. The arrested individuals were involved in violent protests following the arrest of former PM Imran Khan.

The spokesperson added almost 152 police officers and personnel were injured due to the clashes between police and the PTI protesters. He said 72 vehicles of the Punjab police were burned. He added that those involved in attacking the security personnel were being identified and arrests were being made.