LHC Restrains Punjab Government from Issuing Detention Orders Until December 5

The Lahore High Court has temporarily barred the Punjab government from issuing any new detention orders until December 5, following a legal challenge against the lawfulness of these orders.

Justice Amjad Rafiq delivered the judgment on a petition filed by Advocate Azhar Siddique, who questioned the basis of the government’s frequent detention directives. According to government representatives, a total of 20,000 detention orders have been issued since 2022, with 4,470 issued in 2023 alone.

The petitioner argued that detention orders are often exploited for political purposes, calling for amendments to detention laws under Article 10-A of the Constitution to prevent such misuse.

In response, the court ordered the suspension of all new detention orders until the next hearing and instructed counsel to present comprehensive arguments on the legality of Section 3 of the Detention Act. The case will resume on December 5.