The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday dismissed the petitions seeking to declare the detention unlawful of prominent fashion designer Khadija Shah and others allegedly involved in the May 9 arson.
A two-member bench headed by Justice Baqir Najafi heard the case and issued the written verdict.
The verdict stated that the detention of the petitioners cannot be deemed illegal at this stage, as the law is currently taking its course.
The LHC emphasised that legal procedures cannot be bypassed and that the case against the petitioners has been duly registered, with investigations underway.
The events that unfolded on that fateful day also posed a challenge to the civil justice system, it added.
Justice Baqir Najafi, in delivering the judgment, acknowledged that the accused have legal rights that are protected by the courts.
While the petitioners undoubtedly have legal avenues to pursue, the court advised them to follow the normal course of law, as bypassing the established procedures would not yield any benefits.
Shah, a prominent fashion designer, and a US citizen, was arrested for her alleged involvement in the arson of the Lahore Corp Commander House (Jinnah House) during the violent protests on May 9.
Following a request from US officials, the Pakistani-origin American was granted consular access and subsequently sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand along with other incarcerated female activists and leaders.
