ISLAMABAD: Police was on Monday directed by a lower court to register a case against an MNA on charge of ‘murder by mistake’.

The order was issued from the court of ex-officio Justice of Peace, Additional Sessions Judge Mohammad Atta Rabbani in response to a complaint lodged by a woman alleging that MNA Sheikh Rohail Asghar had killed her husband in a road accident.

The woman had approached SSP Islamabad’s office on January 13 and alleged that her husband, who was a security guard, was hit by a car driven by the MNA under the influence of alcohol. She said her husband died at the hospital.

The woman said she had tried to lodge a complaint at Kohsar police station but the police refused to do so because legal action cannot be taken against an MNA.

The deceased’s son, Israr Hassan, told Dawn that though the SSP had received his mother’s complaint, no action was taken which was why they had petitioned in the court.

He alleged that though the MNA had been driving the car when it hit his father, Mr Asghar later claimed his driver was the one driving.

The petition accusing the MNA of Qatal-e-Khata (murder by mistake) was lodged on January 21, seeking directives for the SSP and SHO Kohsar police station to register a case against the accused MNA.

Talking to Dawn, Sheikh Rohail Asghar maintained the woman and her son were blackmailing him for money.

“When the accident happened I was at a news channel, recording a programme and my driver was at the wheel of my car,” he claimed.

He added that the victim’s son had pardoned the driver in a written statement on an affidavit which was with the police. “I paid the family Rs270,000, but they want more now,” he said.

Kohsar police station’s SHO told Dawn a case will be registered when the complainant appeared before the police.

The SHO confirmed that the MNA’s driver was driving the vehicle when the accident happened and that the legislator was at a news channel. He said the MNA had compensated the family.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2016