LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Friday indicted Gullu Butt for being involved in smashing private vehicles outside the Minhajul Quran Secretariat during an anti-encroachment operation carried out by the government.

The court handed over the charge-sheet to the accused and directed the prosecution to produce its witnesses on next hearing. The accused denied the charges and opted to contest the trial. The court would resume hearing on Sept 24.

Gullu Butt was caught red-handed by cameramen of news channels while smashing vehicles parked outside the TMQ Secretariat.

DETENTION: Gullu Butt challenged his detention before the Lahore High Court.

His counsel pleaded that a division bench of the LHC had released his client on bail but the Punjab government again detained him.

The counsel said the government declared Gullu Butt an associate of terrorists and further extended his detention without producing any tangible evidence against him. He asked the court to set aside the detention for being illegal.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2014