GUJRANWALA: Additional sessions judge Iram Ayaz ordered police on Wednesday to register a case against a former PML-N MNA and his about a dozen men for beating and intimidating the counsel for his rival candidate.

Victim Mughir Hashmi, the counsel for independent candidate Muhammad Riaz, pleaded that retired Justice Iftikhar Ahmad Cheema, a PML-N aspirant for NA-101 constituency, along with his men thrashed and intimidated him of dire consequences when he objected to his eligibility during the scrutiny of his nomination papers.

He said he had informed the returning officer that Mr Cheema was disqualified by the Supreme Court for concealing the assets of his wife.

The petitioner said he had moved an application to the Civil Lines police for the registration of a case against the PML-N aspirant, but to no avail.

The retired Justice Iftikhar Cheema told reporters that the application of his rival candidate’s counsel was fake and he would challenge it in the Lahore High Court.

GANGSTERS HELD: The Saddar police claimed on Wednesday to have arrested 43 members of 11 gangs of criminals and seized a huge quantity of arms and looted goods from their possession.

At a press conference, CPO Waqas Nazir and Saddar SP Dr Rizwan Ahmad said that the arrested criminals were wanted in 162 cases of dacoity, robbery and other heinous crimes.

They said police seized three cars, a truck, two tractors, 46 motorcycles, 24 mobile phones, 27 tolas of gold and other looted goods worth Rs97 million besides 325 sophisticated weapons, including 17 Kalashnikovs, 35 rifles, 29 guns, 12 revolvers and 222 pistols.

They said police returned the looted goods and vehicles to their owners.

PROTEST: Residents and the family of a deceased woman demonstrated outside the office of the City Police Officer to protest the reluctance of police in arresting the murderers.

They said the Satellite Town police released deceased’s husband Anwar and mother-in-law Sughran Bibi who were involved in the murder of Safeena Bibi.

They dispersed when the CPO assured them that justice would be done.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2016