SHC restrains police from arresting Arif Alvi in any criminal case

The Sindh High Court on Thursday restrained police from arresting former president and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Dr Arif Alvi in any criminal cases. The interim order came on an application filed by the PTI leader seeking an injunction against arrest in blind FIRs.

The petitioner’s counsel Ali Tahir submitted that the petitioner was falsely involved in the cases on the basis of political victimisation. He said the petitioner belongs to a political party that has been subjected to a campaign of targeted persecution for an extended period, and this campaign includes the removal of the party’s election symbol, prolonged imprisonment of its leader Imran Khan and the subjection of its party leadership.

He said the purpose of FIRs was to harass the petitioner from continuing his peaceful political struggle against the government. He requested the court to grant protection to the applicant, as there was apprehension that he could be arrested in blind FIRs. He asked for grant of an injunction against the registration of fresh cases against him.

A division bench headed by Justice Ms. Sana Akram Minhas issued notices to federal and provincial law officers and directed them to file comments on the application. The court restrained police from arresting the applicant till the next date of the hearing.

The SHC had earlier granted protective bail to the former president in three cases registered at different police stations of Punjab. Dr Alvi had moved the SHC for obtaining protective and transitory bail in connection with three criminal cases registered against him at Mianwali, Texila and Rawalpindi police stations.