LAHORE: A sessions court on Thursday directed the Akbari Gate police station house officer to proceed in accordance with law on an application seeking registration of a case against actor Saba Qamar, singer Bilal Saeed and others for shooting a song video in historic Masjid Wazir Khan.

Advocate Sardar Farhat Manzoor Khan had filed the petition pleading that he submitted an application to the Akbari Gate SHO for registration of an FIR against the culprits for violating the sanctity of the mosque.

The lawyer contended that the culprits trampled upon the sanctity of the mosque by their act which also sparked an outrage among the citizens.

He asked the court to order the police to lodge a case against the persons involved in the illegal act. Besides the actor and the singer, the petitioner also sought action against the production house of the music video and officials of the Auqaf department who permitted the shooting.

The lawyers on behalf of the Auqaf department and the actors opposed the petition saying no offence had been committed. They said the video shooting was held with the permission of the department after payment of official fee of Rs30,000. They said the chief minister had already taken notice of the matter and ordered an inquiry into the matter.

A counsel said they had already tendered an unconditional apology on various forums.

After hearing the arguments, Additional District and Sessions Judge Attiqur Rehman directed the SHO to decide the application of the petitioner, without going into the facts of the instant petition, and proceed against the proposed accused if any cognizable offence was made out.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2020