KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday disposed of over 100 identical petitions filed against the detention of PTI workers under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance, following the provincial government’s decision to withdraw MPO orders.

A day earlier, it emerged that the provincial government had decided to release nearly 300 PTI workers. Government sources told Dawn that the “documentary process” had already begun.

“So it may take some time, and by Tuesday evening, we may see the workers being released from prison,” said a source.

Following the withdrawal of MPO orders by the provincial government, the additional advocate general of Sindh appeared before the court and informed that the MPO notification had been withdrawn.

The notification was presented in court, following which the court disposed of over 100 petitions filed challenging the detention of PTI workers.

Earlier today, the SHC directed the Sindh government to withdraw the MPO orders, warning that “if the orders are not withdrawn, the court will issue orders against the authorities”.

The defence counsel, Barrister Ali Tahir, informed the court that “over 187 families were being affected by illegal detention orders”.

He alleged that the “police had illegally raided the homes of party workers”, and added that the orders went “against SHC’s decisions and principles”.

Subsequently, the provincial home department, in a notification dated February 10 and available with Dawn, withdrew the detention orders.

“The government of Sindh is pleased to withdraw all detention orders issued by the Home Department, Sindh, under section 3(1) of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO), 1960, during the period from Feb 1 to Feb 9, with immediate effect,” the notification read.

“Senior superintendents of central prison & correctional facilities, Karachi, and district prison & CF, Malir, Karachi, are hereby directed to release the persons detained under the MPO, 1960, forthwith, if they are not required in any other case,” the notification said.

As per a statement issued via PTI spokesperson, Barrister Tahir had expressed hope that the detention orders would be suspended today.

More than 400 workers detained, claims PTI Sindh

In a post on X, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh welcomed the decision, stating, “Finally, the fake government of Sindh had to withdraw its unconstitutional and illegal detainment of our innocent workers and peaceful citizens”.

According to a PTI press release, Sheikh, while speaking to the media earlier, alleged that “more than 400 party workers were unlawfully abducted between Feb 1 and Feb 9”.

The PTI leader said the arrests were made on the instructions of the Sindh government.

“First, they abducted the PTI workers, then formally arrested them and later sent them to jail under MPO,” he said.

Last week, the PTI accused provincial authorities of arresting dozens of activists during night-long raids in Karachi and other parts of Sindh and detaining them under the controversial MPO Ordinance.

On Feb 1, the Sindh home department issued notifications under MPO to detain the PTI workers for 30 days on the ground that they “are instigating the public to block roads, highways, and organise sit-ins, which may disturb peace and tranquillity and can create serious law and order problems”.

The party challenged the alleged detentions in the SHC the very next day.

On Friday, the SHC directed provincial authorities to produce the cabinet’s decision for issuing detention orders against PTI workers under the MPO Ordinance.