LAHORE, July 71: The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Mr Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain, took a suo motu notice on Thursday of the issuance of non-bailable arrest warrants for former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman and others and called for the record to be examined by Justice Maulvi Anwarul Haq on Friday.

Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Bukhsh Masood Hashmi had on Thursday directed the Punjab Inspector General of Police to produce all the accused in court on July 25.

The chief justice said that apparently reports about the case had created a perception about political victimisation in certain circles.

The chief justice observed that section 435 of Cr.P.C provided that a high court or sessions judge might call for and examine the record of any proceedings before a lower criminal court within the limits of its or his jurisdiction for the purpose of satisfying itself or himself as to the correctness.

He also placed before Justice Maulvi Anwarul Haq a petition challenging warrants for Dr Mumtaz Hussain, former vice chancellor of the King Edward Medical University.

Other respondents included PPP MNA Farzana Raja, former Punjab chief secretary Salman Siddique, former additional secretary Haji Nawaz Khokhar, former MPA Saba Sadiq, former health secretary Javed Malik, former SSP Operations, Lahore, Amir Zulfiqar and Prof Mumtaz Hussain.

The warrants were issued after Dr Maqsood Hussain filed a suit under Qazf Ordinance against a number of politicians and officials to claim damages. He said his reputation and career suffered a severe blow when he was tried on frivolous charges of raping a 2005 earthquake victim in the Mayo Hospital.

Dr Maqsood contended that he had been arrested on the charge of physically abusing the girl and sent behind bars. Later, Supreme Court on the statement of the girl declared him innocent.

He said the then chief minister on strong recommendations of former health minister had ordered his arrest and registration of the case.

He said almost all political figures of the previous and present governments had scandalised his case by giving false statements to the media.