LAHORE: A bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition calling for the arrest of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on charges of ‘inciting violence’.

The petition, filed by citizen Khursheed Alam, called for the issuing of an arrest warrant against Qadri over the latter's statements that can qualify as incitements to violence.

The petitioner pleaded that despite registering an FIR against Qadri, the police had not yet arrested him. He feared that since Qadri is free, his supporters might harm the petitioner in revenge of FIR that Alam had registered against their leader.

However, the LHC bench rejected the plea for Qadri's arrest, saying that in the current political crisis, the arrest of any political leader may lead to further unrest.

The bench added that arresting any political leader was the job of the police, therefore the court would not give any judgment on the issue.

Previously, the Punjab Law Department had reviewed a speech delivered by Qadri on August 3, during which the PAT chief had allegedly made statements inciting people to attack policemen.

Qadri had allegedly asked his workers to attack security forces and kill 15 policemen in retaliation for the death of 15 party workers in the June 17 Model Town incident.

Following his statements, the Punjab government had registered a case against Qadri in Lahore's Faisal Town police station for "inciting violence".