LAHORE: The Lahore deputy commissioner has ordered the detention of fashion designer Khadija Shah for a period of another thirty days under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance, citing the need to maintain “law and order in the provincial capital”.
DC Rafia Haider issued the order after an anti-terrorism court granted post-arrest bail to Khadija Shah in the fourth and, thus far, final case linked to the 9 May riots filed against her. The decision to detain Khadija Shah was taken on 15 November, according to media reports.
Shah’s legal situation stems from her arrest during the nationwide unrest on 9 May, triggered by the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan. The ensuing protests turned violent and included attacks on state and military installations.
On the same day, Khadija Shah shared videos on her social media accounts, showcasing her involvement in the PTI demonstration outside the Jinnah House, the residence of the Lahore corps commander. Subsequently, numerous protesters were arrested, and Khadija Shah faced multiple charges for her alleged role in vandalism and attacks on military nstallations.
Khadija Shah’s bail
Khadija Shah had voluntarily turned herself in to the police on 23 May after her name was associated with the 9 May riots, leading to her arrest on the same day. The designer is implicated in 4 cases connected to the events of 9 May . Subsequently, she secured bail in all cases, with the most recent granted in the fourth case on November 15.
After Khadija Shah was granted bail on Wednesday, a meeting of the “District Intelligence Committee” was held the very same day where the matter was discussed in detail, according to the DC’s order.
The order said the members of committee endorsed the evidence and material provided bypolice and unanimously recommended that Khadija Shah detention order should be issued to maintain law and order situation in the city.
According to the order, SP Cantt Division Lahore and district intelligence branch recommended Khadija Shah’s detention under 3-MPO for the period of thirty days.
Explaining the grounds behind Khadija Shah’s fresh detention, the DC said that the involvement of Shah in the cases has been denoted as violent and provocative, duly supported by evidence obtained through thorough monitoring of social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram and geo-fencing.
The DC said that Khadija Shah was found involved in criminal activities during the probe of the cases filed against her.
