Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has temporarily suspended the sentence of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz, SSP Operations Jameel Zafar, and Station House Officer (SHO) until May 7 in a contempt of court case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb issued the order on the intra-court appeal filed by DC Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon, SSP Operations, and SHO.

In a written order, Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb directed the appeal to be scheduled for hearing on May 7. The court suspended the sentences of the three petitioners in the contempt of court case until May 7. Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court had previously sentenced Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz to 6 months, SSP Operations to 4 months, and the SHO to 2 months imprisonment for contempt of court on March 1.

The decision by Justice Babar Sattar came after finding Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon and SSP Operations Malik Jameel Zafar guilty of contempt of court. An arrest warrant for Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz was issued by the Islamabad High Court on February 20. Last year, on August 16, the Islamabad High Court suspended the arrest order of Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and permitted them to return home. It was decided to indict SSP Operations and Deputy Commissioner Islamabad in the case.

Subsequently, on September 7, the Islamabad High Court charged Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon and three other officers with contempt of court in connection with the prolonged detention of Shehryar Afridi and Shandana Gulzar under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).