The workers were arrested on August 27 after they staged a protest outside the National Assembly building. They were protesting against the recent increase in electricity prices, which they said were unfair and burdensome for ordinary citizens.
The court ordered their release on the grounds that they had not committed any crime.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) workers arrested for protesting against inflated electricity bills were released by a judicial magistrate on August 28, 2023. The court order stated that the case was registered in haste and the legal requirements were not met. Police had baselessly accused the workers of being armed.
Earlier, on August 27, Islamabad police had booked JI leadership for protesting against the recent increase in electricity prices in the federal capital. The workers were protesting outside the National Assembly building when they were arrested.
The court order said that the police had not followed the due process of law in registering the case against the JI workers. The order also said that the police had not presented any evidence to support the allegation that the workers were armed.
The court’s decision to release the JI workers is a victory for the right to peaceful Electricity Bill Protest in Pakistan. It is also a reminder to the police that they must follow the due process of law when registering cases against citizens.
