ISLAMABAD:The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday annulled the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and ordered his immediate release. IHC judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had ordered to release Asad Umar immediately, adding that the court had been reserving the judgement on bail pleas in two cases. The IHC asked Asad Umar to submit an affidavit. “If the affidavit is violated, [then] forget the political career. Also delete the tweets,” the court ordered.

“There are two tweets of Asad Umar. Have those tweets deleted immediately,” the court asked the lawyer for Asad Umar. “They will not leave unless you hold a press conference,” Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked. “We are not going to hold a press conference,” said Dr Babar Awan, lawyer for Asad Umar. “Have the two tweets of Asad Umar deleted immediately,” the IHC judge said to Babar Awan.

“We will obey your order. [But] Asad Umar should be produced it this court,” Babar Awan replied. “The cases against Asad Umar are before me. If I issue an order, I don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” the judge remarked. “We had submitted a plea for protective bail and the provision of the details of cases. We want you to give us two days so that we can surrender to the court concerned if the release from prison takes place. We want protective bail in criminal cases,” Babar Awan told the court.

“We had also asked Shah Mehmood Qureshi to submit an affidavit. This was to ensure that Section 144 is not violated,” Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb said. “People have hurled threats at the courts before this. Protest is our right,” Babar Awan pointed out.