PHC grants interim bail to doctors, paramedics arrested under 3 MPO

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday granted interim bail to all doctors and paramedics who were arrested under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth issued the interim bail order. The arrested doctors and paramedics were directed to furnish two sureties worth Rs50,000 each.

However, the court also ordered that in addition to these bail bonds each petitioner shall also furnish bond of good conduct to the effect that they would perform duties during the notified hours and would not instigate other employees to create hurdles in the smooth work,failing which their interim bail granted order shall stand cancelled/recalled.

The court stated that without touching the merits of the case and to see the true picture of the incident, the court referred the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for an inquiry.

The court directed the director general FIA to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

The FIA DG was directed to submit the detailed report to the deputy register judicial within 15 days.

The lawyers comprising Abdul Latif Afridi, Shabbir Hussain Gigyani, Fida Gul, Abid Ali Khan, Muhammad Rafiq Mohmand, Daris Khan, and Muhammad Ismail Mohmand appeared for doctors and paramedics in the petitions.

Shumail Ahmad Butt, Advocate General KP, appeared for respondents.

The lawyers requested the court to declare the arrest of the petitioners under MPO illegal and restrain respondents from rearrests in the FIR lodged against them.

There were allegations against the doctors and paramedics that they made violent entry into the LRH with criminal intent to block the main road and paralysed the routine activities in the city and damaged government properties.