LAHORE: Police on Wednesday arrested PML-N MPA Mian Naveed Ali after the Lahore High Court withdrew his pre-arrest bail in a case of slapping Pakpattan Assistant Commissioner Khawar Bashir.

Pakpattan City police had registered an FIR against the MPA, his father and others on charges of slapping the assistant commissioner and hurling threats at him. The alleged incident took place when the officer had sealed a marquee owned by the MPA for violation of Covid-19 SOPs.

The police said MPA Ali and others threatened the AC and slapped him.

On the other hand, a lawyer of the suspects denied the police story and contended that the MPA had refused to entertain a function of the AC in the marquee. He said the AC nurtured a grudge against the MPA and made a concocted story to register the FIR.

He asked the court to confirm pre-arrest bails of the MPA and others.

The court had initially granted interim pre-arrest bail to the suspects in December 2020 and directed them to join the police investigation.

On Wednesday, the investigating officer told the court that MPA Ali had joined the investigation and his custody was required by the police.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry dismissed the bail of the MPA while confirming the bail of other suspects.

The police personnel arrested the parliamentarian and shifted him to the police station.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2021