GUJRANWALA: Former SHO, accused of killing two lawyers in Daska incident, submitted on Thursday a petition before the anti-terrorism court for removal of terrorism clause from the first information report (FIR) against him.

Former SHO Shahzad Warraich prayed to the court that 23-ATA should be deleted from the FIR while the case be forwarded to sessions court.

Judge Imtiaz Ahmad Khan told him that police had not submitted the charge sheet against him yet and his plea would be considered after its submission.

Two lawyers, including the president of the local bar association, were killed by police during a clash on May 25 in Daska.

RE-POLL: The re-poll in 34 polling stations of PP-97 Gujranwala following the Supreme Court order is hardly a week away and election commission appointed on Thursday regional election commissioner as district returning officer (DRO) and district election officer as returning officer (RO) through a notification.

Masroor Ahmad Bajar has been appointed as DRO while Nadeem Qasim as RO for the re-poll on June 21.

A tough contest is expected between PML-N MPA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf Warraich, who had won in 2013 election from the constituency, and ex-MPA Chaudhry Nasir Cheema who switched to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) from PML-Q recently.

The PPP, Jamaat-i-Islami, PML-Chattha, Pakistan Awami Tehrik and some religious parties are backing Cheema, strengthening his position in Ghakkhar town, a strong hold of the PML-N.

Fifty percent polling stations (17) are situated in same town while both the parties are focusing it by setting up their election camps there. Seven polling stations are in second major town Qila Dedar Singh and adjacent areas which are also considered the fort of PML-N.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2015

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