December 04, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 23, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 3: An anti-terrorism court asked the Lahore capital city police officer and the Sabzazar station house officer to state reasons till Dec 6 for not arresting former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, who was declared a proclaimed offender.

The court issued the notice to both officials and sought their replies while taking up a contempt application filed by the complainant of Sabzazar shootout case.

Saeedud Din, through advocate Aftab Ahmad Bajwa, said the court had issued Shahbaz ‘perpetual arrest’ warrants but officials had not arrested him. He asked the court to try the officials for contempt.

Saeed says Sabzazar police killed his son on the orders of Shahbaz Sharif, the then chief minister. He said the court’s orders were valid and needed to be fulfilled in letter and spirit.

The court has charge-sheeted 10 accused in the case and they are: former Lahore senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ahmad Raza Tahir, DSP Umar Virk, assistant sub-inspectors Zulfiqar Ahmad and Lala Roshan, head constable Noorul Hassan, and constables Abid Hussain, Shamshad Ahmad, Munir Ahmad, Muhammad Riaz and Hakim Ali.

The court has declared Sharif a proclaimed offender and separated the trial to his extent. The case of another accused, SHO Babar Ashraf, was also separated while the third accused, former Col Mohammad Asghar (retired), has died.