ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court judge here on Monday disposed of a petition of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek over the alleged killing of its workers and directed the Secretariat police to take cognisance of the matter and proceed in accordance with the law.

The petition, filed by the vice president of PAT’s Islamabad chapter, Advocate Ahmed Yar Gondal, had sought registration of FIR against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique over the Aug 30 violence on the Constitution Avenue in which three PAT workers were allegedly killed.

In his petition filed through his lawyer Mohammad Waqas Malik, the PAT vice president alleged that the prime minister and his top aides had used state machinery against the PAT workers when they started marching towards the Prime Minister’s House on Aug 30 in protest against the Model Town massacre and for acceptance of other “legitimate demands”.

After the incident, at least 13 cases were registered in different police stations of the capital against leaders of the PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, including Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri. They were booked under sections 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, PPCs 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 342 (wrongful confinement), 341(punishment for wrongful confinement), 452 (trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 427 (damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).

District and sessions judge directs police to proceed in accordance with law

In his petition, Mr Gondal claimed that hundreds of PAT workers had also been injured in the “assault on peaceful protesters” and said that the incident was reported to the Secretariat SHO but he did not register the FIR.

The petition said that prior to the commencement of the processions the government had promulgated Article 245 of the Constitution under which the army was deployed to protect important buildings and institutions in the capital. It said the heads of different institutions had refused to take action against the protesters without written order.

The petition contended that police were bound to register an FIR against the prime minister and his aides regardless of their status. The petitioner requested the court to direct the Secretariat SHO to register an FIR against them.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2014