ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reinstated the authority of Islamabad’s deputy commissioner to issue Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and temporarily upheld the order by IHC Justice Babar Sattar.
The orders were issued by Chief Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Tariq Mahmoud Jahangiri in response to an appeal filed by the Islamabad chief commissioner, who is the Home Secretary.
In an intra-court appeal, the Home Secretary challenged the decision, and the court issued notices to the parties involved in the appeal against a single bench decision. The Appellate Court also imposed a restraining order on the Chief Commissioner and others.
Previously, IHC Justice Babar Sattar had deemed the authority to issue MPO as illegal. The contempt of court case against Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and police officers was adjourned until the next day, following objections from lawyers. They argued that government employees are facing challenging conditions while pursuing their studies, and there is pressure on them.
Justice Babar Sattar emphasized that this is a straightforward case of the rule of law, and the case will not be transferred to another judge. He questioned whether government officials should be made pawns in a larger game. The testimony will be recorded, and the hearing will resume after the election.
During the hearing, Justice Babar Sattar engaged in a dialogue with the DC Rawalpindi and the superintendent of Adiala jail, expressing dissatisfaction with their presentation of records to the court. The IHC Justice adjourned the hearing until the following Wednesday.
