LAHORE: A judicial magistrate of Cantonment Courts on Saturday dismissed on technical grounds the bail petitions of three suspects allegedly involved in hurling shoe at the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif at a ceremony in Jamia Naeemia, Garhi Shahu.

As the magistrate took up the petitions, investigating officer presented case record and stated that Section 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997 had been added in the FIR during the investigation.

He said after the addition of anti-terrorism law’s provision, the magisterial court had no jurisdiction to hear the bail petitions.

Counsel for the petitioners also stated that after the addition of the new provision, the magistrate lacked jurisdiction to further hear the matter. He asked the court to dispose of the petitions.

Magistrate Talat Mahmood dismissed the bail petitions for lack of jurisdiction and asked the counsel to approach anti-terrorism court.

Qila Gujjar Singh police had previously registered a case against Munawar Hussain, his two associates Abdul Ghafoor and Muhammad Sajid under Section 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person), Section 504 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 16 of Maintenance of Public Order. All the three suspects were former students of the seminary.

The police investigation revealed the suspects were religiously motivated and tried to create religious hatred against Nawaz Sharif.

Munawar Hussain had hurled his shoe at the ousted premier when he came to the rostrum to address a gathering. The co-suspects also tried to throw shoes at Mr Sharif but the security personnel overpowered them.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2018