Photo courtesy Elan
An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday granted Quetta police two-day transitory remand of fashion designer Khadija Shah in a case pertaining to the May 9 riots, with her legal team seeking a stay order from the Lahore High Court (LHC) over the “unlawful” order.
Shah, incarcerated at Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail since May, was arrested in cases of alleged attacks on the Lahore Corps Commander’s House; Askari Tower; and the destruction of police vehicles in Cantonment on May 9. Last month, an ATC granted Shah bail in the fourth case pending against her, but she was re-arrested immediately upon release under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance for 30 days.
The legal team of the designer, who is a prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporter, had subsequently challenged the detention at the LHC, describing it as “unlawful and unconstitutional.” As the LHC was set to take up the case today, the Punjab government submitted a notification stating it had withdrawn Shah’s detention orders “with immediate affect.” However, before she could be released, Quetta police filed a request in the ATC seeking her transit remand. The court accepted the request and granted the investigating officer Shah’s custody for two days, directing police to present her in court on Dec. 13.
Shah’s lawyer subsequently informed the LHC of the remand decision, with Justice Ali Baqar Najafi directing police to present her in court by 2:30 p.m., warning he would otherwise summon Punjab police chief Usman Anwar to resolve the matter. According to her family, they are unaware of the location where Quetta police are holding her.
At 2:30 p.m., the police chief appeared before court, informing the judge that he had no idea where she was. He then said she was now in the custody of Quetta police. Despite attempts by her legal team to keep her within the jurisdiction of Punjab, the court validated the transit remand.
Shah was arrested shortly after the May 9 riots over videos she had shared on her Twitter account showing her participation in the PTI demonstration outside the Lahore Corps Commander’s House. She is accused of vandalism and attacks on security installations. After a brief “manhunt,” with police seeking her arrest, she voluntarily turned herself in to the police on May 23. She has been detained since, with a new case registered against her every time she is granted bail in previously pending cases.