The Lahore High Court (LHC) has sought a report on the implementation of a decision previously issued by a larger bench concerning Sections 3 and 16 of the MPO Ordinancea legal provision that allows authorities to detain any citizen to ensure public order.
Justice Farooq Haider heard a constitutional petition filed by Advocate Abdullah Malik challenging the provisions of the MPO ordinance. During the hearing, the court asked what progress had been made on the implementation of the LHC larger bench’s judgment
According to a news report, a larger LHC bench on June 19, 2025 referred three reform proposals to the Punjab Law Departmentgreater transparency in detention orders, a right of appeal and deterrent penalties for misuse of the power during detentionafter being told that 4,770 detention orders were issued in 2023 alone
Justice Haider observed that copies of the larger bench’s decision had been sent to the chief secretary and the Ministry of Law and asked about the steps taken to implement the ruling.
Advocate Azhar Siddique, appearing in the matter on behalf of the petitioner, submitted that no action had been taken to implement the June 19, 2025 directions.
The petition contended that the MPO law does not provide clear and effective safeguards against deprivation of a person’s liberty through preventive detention. It argued that preventive detention cannot be used as a substitute for the criminal justice system.
The petitioner maintained that a citizen’s liberty could not be curtailed without evidence and reasonable grounds. The petition also challenged Section 16 of the MPO law, arguing that its broad restrictions on freedom of expression are inconsistent with constitutional guarantees.
It questioned the legal standards governing terms such as “fear or alarm” and activities considered harmful to public order, arguing that such provisions could permit restrictions on fundamental rights without sufficiently clear criteria.
