ISLAMABAD: An additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) here on Saturday ordered the registration of a criminal case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his aides for the August 30 violence on Constitution Avenue, in which four protestors were killed and several others injured.

Accepting a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, ADSJ Shahrukh Arjumand directed the Secretariat police station house officer (SHO) to register a criminal case against the prime minister, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, the then inspector general of Islamabad police Khalid Khattak, Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil and some other police officials.

In the petition, Mr Qureshi stated that PTI workers were killed and injured due to torture, firing, shelling and a baton charge by police when they were peacefully marching towards PM House. He said that on September 1, PTI leaders had submitted an application to the Secretariat police for the registration of a case against government functionaries. However, he added, the police did not register the case.

The application also alleged that the police opened fire on the container of their leader Imran Khan and damaged a vehicle. Four party legislators were leaving the sit-in venue in the vehicle at the time.


Cabinet ministers also nominated in case over August 30 violence


Sardar Mohammad Ishaq, representing the state, told the court that on the night of August 30, enraged activists of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) obstructed the policemen from discharging their duty. He said the mob also attacked and injured the SSP operations besides blocking the road to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Hence, they also blocked access of judges and litigants to the apex court, he added.

He said on September 15, the Secretariat police had registered an FIR on the directions of the district and sessions judge against the prime minister along with the ministers and government officials mentioned and the investigation was in progress.

PTI lawyer Farrukh Dall and others, however, told the court that the police can investigate the violation of law but it was also duty bound to register the case against the persons nominated in the application.

The lawyers claimed that there was no bar against the registration of a second FIR against an offence and requested the court to accept the petition.

Following the September 15 order issued by District and Sessions Judge Raja Jawad Abbas Hassan on a petition of the PAT workers, the Secretariat police registered an FIR against the prime minister and others for the August 30 violence.

It may be mentioned that after the August 30 incident, at least 13 cases were registered in different police stations against the leadership of the PTI and PAT. In these cases, the police booked PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT leader Dr Tahirul Qadri as well as other leaders of both the parties under different sections of the anti-terrorism act and the Pakistan Penal Code.

The capital police received an order of registration of a criminal case against the government leaders and officials from the court of additional district and session judge here on Friday, Dawn has learnt from police officials.

Earlier, ADSJ Shahrukh Arjumand ordered the Station House Officer of Secretariat police station to register criminal case in response of a petition submitted by PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi seeking direction for the police to regsitere the case against Prime Minster, Chief Minister Punjab, interior, defence, railway ministers, former IGP Islamabad, IGPs Punjab, Azad Kashmir and Railways, Deputy commissioner Islamabad, along with other police and capital administration officers.

Meanwhile, after receiving the court direction the senior superintendent of police (SSP) forwarded it to the legal wing of the police.

When contacted, SSP Asmatullah Junejo confirmed that the order had been received.

Police officials on the condition of anonymity told Dawn that the SHO Secretariat Nawaz Bhatti had been directed to entertain the case whenever the complainant approached him.

Senior lawyer Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta said a separate FIR can be registered over a single incident or crime but in this regard the facts and version of the complaints should be different from each other.

But some officials in the police prosecution department said a case had already been registered about the incident and according to the law the complaints of the PTI and PAT should be made part of the case file.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.