The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued arrest warrant for the city’s deputy commissioner, Irfan Nawaz Memon in a contempt of court case related to the arrest of (PTI) leader Shehryar Afridi under 3 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) last year, Aaj News reported on Tuesday.

The court also asked the concerned authorities to put the DC’s name in the no-fly list.

IHC declares DC’s authority as illegal

The development comes after Justice Babar Sattar of IHC conducted hearing on the contempt of court charges against the Islamabad’s DC and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Malik Jamil Zafar for exceeding their authority by issuing orders under Section 3 of the MPO.

During the hearing, SSP Operations Malik Jamil Zafar and SP Farooq Buttar appeared before the court. However, Irfan Nawaz Memon did not come and his lawyer submitted a plea for DC’s exemption saying his client was in Khairpur and he had to go to perform Umrah.

The court rejected the exemption plea and asked the authorities to arrest the DC wherever he was. It also directed to place the DC’s name in the Exit Control List (ECL) so that he could not leave the territorial jurisdiction.

IHC orders release of PTI’s Shehryar Afridi, Shandana Gulzar

It may be noted that IHC last year indicted DC Irfan Nawaz Memon for contempt of court over the arrest of former State minister Shehryar Afridi.

Justice Babar Sattar took up the case during which Memon and SSP Operations Jameel Zafar submitted replies while advocate general Islamabad offered an unconditional apology.

Background on Afridi’s arrest

On May 30, 2023, Afridi was arrested from outside Adiala Jail shortly after his release under 3-MPO. The PTI leader was arrested by Rawalpindi Police under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance 1960, which enables the government to arrest persons “acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety”.

He was initially arrested after protests that transformed into violence following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan on May 9.

Despite the IHC overruling his detention orders on June 6, Afridi was being kept in a death cell at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, following which the IHC warned the capital police officials of contempt proceedings.