The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Sanam Javaid and has instructed the police and other law enforcement agencies not to arrest her until Thursday. The court also advised Javaid to “stay mum” during this period.
Sanam Javaid, a prominent campaigner for the PTI, founded by Imran Khan, has been entangled in numerous legal battles following the unrest on May 9, 2023, triggered by Khan’s arrest. She faced a series of arrests and re-arrests in connection with various cases related to the mayhem. Most recently, Javaid was taken into custody by the Islamabad police on Sunday, just an hour after her release from the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) custody.
On Saturday, a duty magistrate in Islamabad had allowed Javaid to walk free after she was arrested by the FIA in a terrorism case linked to the May 9 riots. This arrest occurred minutes after her release from a Gujranwala prison, where she had been acquitted in a separate case on similar charges. However, on Sunday, she was freed again by an Islamabad court, only to be re-arrested by the police shortly after.
Javaid’s latest arrest was made in connection with a terrorism case lodged in Balochistan. Authorities claimed she had been arrested for a provocative speech, registered under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Today, Javaid was presented before a district kachehri court in Islamabad, seeking her transit remand for transport to Balochistan.
Her father, deeming her custody illegal, moved the Islamabad High Court. During the kachehri court hearing, the judge received orders from the high court to present Javaid before them. Justice Mian Gul Hassan presided over the hearing in the presence of Islamabad Inspector General Ali Nasir Rizvi and FIA officials. The petitioner’s lawyer requested the court to direct authorities to present the First Information Report (FIR) for Javaid’s latest arrest by the Islamabad police.
Authorities informed the court that Javaid had not been named in the FIR. Instead, the Balochistan police had sought assistance for her arrest in the terrorism case. Due to a shortage of time, the court sought all records of cases registered against Javaid over the past year and allowed her family to take her home.
The IHC barred the authorities from rearresting Javaid until Thursday and directed her to remain within Islamabad’s limits until then. The court also advised Javaid and her father to avoid making any hard-hitting statements during this time.
Javaid has been behind bars for almost a year, embroiled in various cases linked to the PTI-led vandalism and unrest following Imran Khan’s arrest. Before the latest case in Balochistan, there were twelve cases registered against her, including incidents like the Zaman Park vandalism, the PML-N house fire, and an incident at the Racecourse Police Station. She has been acquitted in four cases, including the recent FIA case, and has obtained bail in the remaining eight cases.
The IHC’s decision to release Javaid and prevent her re-arrest until Thursday offers her a brief respite from the continuous legal turmoil she has faced. The court’s directive to avoid making any provocative statements suggests an attempt to de-escalate tensions and prevent further unrest related to her legal battles.
Javaid’s ongoing legal struggles highlight the contentious political climate in Pakistan, where activists and supporters of different parties frequently find themselves at odds with the law. Her case underscores the challenges faced by political activists in navigating the legal system and the impact of political unrest on individual lives.
Sanam Javaid’s temporary release by the IHC marks a significant development in her prolonged legal ordeal. The court’s instructions for her to remain silent and within Islamabad indicate a cautious approach to managing the situation, aiming to prevent further escalations while providing her a brief period of freedom amidst the numerous charges she faces.
