Islamabad (Web Desk): The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday barred authorities from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry in any new case registered against him till May 17.
The order was issued by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.
During the hearing, the judge said that the advocate general had only informed the court about two cases registered against Fawad because of which the IHC had only granted the PTI leader bail in two cases.
The former federal minister said that over 300 policemen were waiting to arrest him outside the high court, after which Justice Aurangzeb barred the police from arresting the former minister in any undisclosed case registered against him in Islamabad.
The court also directed that a copy of the order should be sent to the Islamabad police chief.
Earlier in the day, Chaudhry returned to the IHC seeking protection, shortly after the court issued his release.
The court had ordered authorities to release the PTI leader from custody after he was detained on May 10 and declared his arrest "illegal".
As Fawad Chaudhry made his way to his car following his release, the Islamabad police made an attempt to re-arrest him. The police had reportedly sealed all entrances at the court premises.
In a dramatic turn of events, the PTI leader ran back inside the court's premises to evade arrest.
The PTI, in a tweet, claimed that "another attempt to abduct" the former minister was being made by the Islamabad police.
سپریم کورٹ کے سینئر وکیل فواد چوہدری کو پہلے ضمانت کے باوجود سپریم کورٹ کے احاطے سے بغیر کسی وارنٹ کے اغواء کیا گیا اور اب انہیں اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ سے ضمانت ملنے کے باوجود ایک مرتبہ پھر اغواء کرنے کی کوششیں جاری ہیں۔#PakistanUnderFascismpic.twitter.com/80679cHchr
— Tehreek-e-Insaf (@InsafPK) May 16, 2023
Fawad Chaudhry was arrested by the police last week as he emerged from the Supreme Court (SC) building, where he had sought refuge for over 12 hours.
He had arrived at the SC earlier that day to file a petition challenging the IHC's order giving legal cover to party chief Imran Khan's arrest.
On Monday, the IHC had ordered the IG Islamabad police to present Fawad before the court.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad police arrested PTI leader Shireen Mazari from outside the Adiala Jail hours after the IHC granted her bail.
According to Shireen's daughter Imaan-Hazir Mazari, PTI Senator Falak Naz too was re-arrested outside the jail along with her mother.
"Senator Falak Naz's family and I (& our lawyer) were waiting outside Adiala Jail to receive ama and Falak Naz. Islamabad Police arrested them from outside the jail while we were waiting outside the exit they told us to wait at. We have no idea where they have been taken," Iman tweeted.
Senator Falak Naz's family and I (& our lawyer) were waiting outside Adiala Jail to receive ama and Falak Naz. Islamabad Police arrested them from outside the jail while we were waiting outside the exit they told us to wait at. We have no idea where they have been taken.
— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) May 16, 2023
