LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday took suo motu notice of firing in the air and manhandling of policemen at a property of Malik Nadeem Abbas Bara — a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf who has been elected to the Punjab Assembly from the PP-161 constituency — and ordered immediate arrest of the politician.

The newly-elected member of the Punjab Assembly later courted arrest.

Earlier, Kaleem Imam, the inspector-general of Punjab police (IGP), told a two-judge bench that a case had been registered under terrorism charges against 50 suspects at the Hanjarwal police station. Of the 50 suspects, 21 had been arrested.

Chief Justice Nisar directed the IGP to arrest Bara without delay and proceed against the other suspects strictly in accordance with the law.

According to sources, MPA-elect Bara and his supporters allegedly beat up Rana Afzal, the station house officer of Hanjarwal police station, and his driver Mumtaz when they reached the property of the PTI leader following an emergency call about massive firing in the area.

The police sources said that MPA-elect Bara, his brother and supporters hit the two policemen with clubs and threatened them with dire consequences. Both of them were shifted to a hospital with multiple injuries.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2018