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LAHORE, Sept 19: PML-N’s MNA Khwaja Saad Rafique on Friday moved the Lahore High Court for quashment of an FIR against him and 16 others on charges of creating a law and order situation last week.
Lohari Gate police had booked PML-N MNAs Malik Pervez and Khwaja Saad Rafique, MPAs Mujtaba Shuja, Ajasim Sharif and Kamran Michael besides other party workers for blocking the Circular Road on Sept 14 and using amplifiers to deliver anti-government speeches, which constituted offences under sections 16 of the MPO (creating a law and order situation) and 148 of the PPC (unlawful assembly) and section 3 of the Amplifier Act.
The accused were said to have assembled at Talabwala Chowk and taken out a procession, which finally reached the Circular Road. They blocked traffic on the road and tried to infuriate the general public by passing contemptuous remarks against the government, illegally using amplifiers.
The counsel for petitioner, Naseer Ahmad Bhutta, submitted in the petition that the impugned FIR was fake and based on unfounded allegations, as it had been registered by the police on directions of certain quarters in order to affect the Ravi Town Nazim’s election, which was held on Sept 16. He took the plea that the offences incorporated in the FIR did not have any supporting evidence, and the court had the jurisdiction to quash it for want of force and conviction. The petition is likely to be taken up this week.
WARRANTS: The Lahore High Court on Friday issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Sharaqpur SHO and two others police officials for failing to appear in the court despite being summoned.
The petitioner, Shahid Mahmood, had filed a petition for habeas corpus for the recovery of his brother Saleem from illegal detention at the Sharaqpur police station. He alleged that Saleem had been taken into custody some 11 days earlier despite the fact that he was neither implicated in any case nor wanted by the police.
On the last date of hearing, the court had directed the SHO and his subordinates to produce the detenu in the court, but they neither turned up themselves nor did they produce Saleem.
The court took notice of officers’ negligence and issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of SHO Rana Ramzan, SI Malik Hakim Ali and ASI Muhammad Ashraf Dogar.
FIR AGAINST ASI: The LHC ordered registration of a case against an ASI for keeping two women in illegal detention.
The petitioner, Fatima Bibi, resident of Ferozwala, had pleaded that she had entered into an agreement with a person for buying some cows, which were to be handed over to her following downpayment. The remaining amount was to be paid in instalments.
After receiving downpayment, the seller started demanding the cows back and also refused to return the money. Meanwhile, the seller’s son ASI Atta Ahmad raided the house of petitioners and took two women into his custody. The petitioner alleged that the ASI had offered to let the detainees go free if she would return the cows and give up her demand for the return of downpayment.
The court ordered that Ferozewala Factory Area ASI Atta Ahmad be booked on charges of keeping the women in illegal detention. It directed him to let the detenus go free without any further delay.
