LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday ordered the authorities concerned to release Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former provincial minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid detained by the police to maintain law and order situation.
Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid of the LHC passed the order on the petition challenging detention of the PTI leader under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
The judge also suspended the notification of Dr. Yasmin Rashid’s detention and ordered her immediate release. The court ruled that if she is not wanted in any other case, she should be released without delay.
Dr. Yasmin Rashid was detained on charges of inciting violence and endangering public safety.
In a separate ruling, the LHC ordered the release of 17 other women of the PTI who were detained under the law of MPO and . The court heard the petitioner’s request and asked for a response from both parties in the next hearing.
The women, who are leaders and workers of the PTI, were arrested on charges of inciting violence and endangering public safety. The court suspended the notification of their detention and ordered their release.
The PTI has been accused of using violence to suppress dissent and opposition. The party has denied the allegations, saying that it is committed to democracy and the rule of law.
The release of Dr. Yasmin Rashid and the 17 women comes as a relief to their families and supporters, who have been calling for their release. The court’s decision is being seen as a victory for human rights and the rule of law in Pakistan.
However, the critics expressed concerns over the PTI’s use of violence to silence its critics and opponents. They called for an end to the practice and for the government to uphold the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
The next hearing in both cases is scheduled for next month, and it is expected to shed more light on the matter.
It may be mentioned here that three women including Malaika Bokhari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Falak Naz were detained from Islamabad following arrest of Imran Khan from the Islamabad High Court premises (IHC) in Al-Qadir Trust Case.