GUJRANWALA: The Satellite Town police on Sunday registered a case against PML-N leader retired Captain Muhammad Safdar, an MPA of his party and others under sedition charges for making speeches against the army and the government.

According to reports, Mr Safdar had presided over a party meeting at the residence of MPA Imran Khalid Butt on Saturday.

The district administration took notice of the meeting and a first information report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of Satellite Town Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Amjad.

The FIR alleged that Mr Safdar, during his speech, spoke against the federal government, the Punjab government and the army and his speech was published in the newspapers.

The SHO alleged that he, along with Sub-Inspector (SI) Muhammad Akram, Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Pervez, constables Safdar Sahar and Luqman and driver Muhammad Asif, was on patrol when he got information that a meeting of PML-N was being held at the residence of MPA Imran Khalid Butt on the Dastagir Road. He stopped there for security purpose and found Mr Safdar provoking the participants against the army and urging them to topple the federal government.

Mr Safdar said if any PML-N leader or worker would be arrested, the party workers would block the residence of the corps commander of the city. He said the PML-N would hold the meeting in Gujranwala on Oct 16 with its workers power even if the administration would not allow it to hold the meeting.

MPA Imran Khalid Butt and other leaders also made similar speeches. On the complaint of the SHO, a case was registered against Safdar, MPA Butt and others under sections 505 (incitement), 124A (sedition) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the PPC.

Former federal minister Ghulam Dastgir Khan and other local leaders of PML-N condemned the registration of the case against Safdar and MPA Butt.

The PML-N has scheduled a public rally in Gujranwala on Oct 16 as a part of its movement against the PTI government.

Retired Captain Safdar, the husband of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, was arrested in October last year after registration of a case against him on charges of hate speech and speaking against the state institutions. He was booked under the sedition charges (124A) also.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2020