LAHORE: The row between Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and anchorperson Mubasher Lucman took a surprise turn on Monday when the two filed applications with police, seeking action against each other for hurling `serious threats.’

In his application submitted to the Model Town station house officer, Mr Chaudhry said that he was attending the walima ceremony of Punjab Irrigation Minis­ter Mohisn Leghari’s son on Sunday.

Meanwhile, he said, Mr Lucman arrived there with his two men, exchanged hot words with him and hurled life threats at him.

He asked the police to lodge a criminal case against Lucman for misbehaving with him in the public gathering.

Earlier in the day the anchorperson submitted a complaint with the same police station for lodging case against the federal minister.

He alleged that he was attending the (same) walima ceremony when Fawad Chaudhry stepped in with his nearly a dozen “armed men/goons” and attacked him in the presence of several guests.

He claimed that the incident occurred when Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, PTI leader Jehangir Tareen and other senior federal and provincial ministers were present at the ceremony.

“I was talking to my friends when suddenly Fawad Chaudhry came to me along with his goons and physically thrashed me,” Mr Lucman said, adding that the attackers later fled the scene hurling serious life threats at him.

In his application, he said his two friends Rao Idrees and Naveed Sheikh were a witness to this criminal assault.

The complainant further alleged that Fawad Chaudhry had contacted him by phone before the Sunday episode and threatened to kill him.

“I am a law abiding citizen, holding pride of performance awarded by the Pakistan government and associated with media as a senior anchorperson”, Mr Lucman said demanding criminal action against Chaudhry.

Model Town SP Imran Ahmad Malik confirmed to Dawn that he had received applications of Fawad Chaudhry and Mubasher Lucman.

He said both sides had leveled serious allegations against each other and an inquiry had been initiated.

To a question, Mr Imran said that he would call both the parties in writing and through phone calls on Tuesday (today) to appear personally to defend their position and present evidence, if any, to prove their stance.

“Action will be taken on merit,” the SP said.

The incident had made headlines and got viral on social media on Sunday when Fawad Chaudhry reportedly slapped the anchorperson at the wedding for defaming him on his youtube channel.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2020