KARACHI: Police on Tuesday requested the court to decide the question of jurisdiction of the police for registration of an FIR against Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan for allegedly slapping Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Qadir Khan Mandokhel in a live television talk show.

Last week, Advocate Mandokhel moved the court against the SSP Complaint Cell and SHO Saeedabad police station for allegedly not entertaining his application to lodge an FIR against Ms Awan.

On Tuesday, a statement was filed before the additional district and sessions’ judge (West) Sarah Junejo on behalf of the SSP Complaint Cell.

The report stated that on June 19 Mr Mandokhel presented an application at the PS Saeedabad requesting to lodge an FIR against Ms Awan on the basis of the incident that occurred during a current affairs TV programme AajTak on Express News on June 9 in Islamabad.

As per the contents of the application the proposed accused (Ms Awan) during the programme slapped, harassed and extended life threats to the petitioner, the report stated.

The SSP stated that after receiving the application the SHO deputed an assistant sub-inspector for conducting enquiry, who has reported that “from the enquiry and contents of application it appears that incident took place indeed, however the question of jurisdiction u/s 179 CrPC should be decided by the honourable court.”

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2021