LAHORE: Some media persons on Tuesday faced a hostile situation for filming/reporting escape of officers of the Punjab Highway Department from the Lahore High Court after rejection of their bails in a misappropriation case.

The lawyers of the accused threatened the reporters and cameramen with dire consequences in the presence of the DSP security of the high court and personnel of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) who remained a silent spectator.

The ACE had registered a case against EXENs Iftikhar Hussain and Abdul Latif Bhatti, SDOs Anwar Hayat and Muhammad Ashraf, Aftab, Khadim Hussain and Nazir Bhatti for misappropriating billions of rupees in construction of roads. The accused pleaded not guilty and sought pre-arrest bails.

An additional prosecutor, Abdul Samad Khan, told the court that the accused had caused a great loss to the national exchequer by constructing substandard roads. He said they were found guilty in investigation.

After examining the case record, the court dismissed the bail petitions.

The lawyers’ panel led by Advocate Anwarul Haq Pannu shielded their clients and helped them flee when the ACE officials tried to arrest them. The lawyers misbehaved with the officials and also shouted at the media persons for covering the activity, warning them with dire consequences.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014