LAHORE: A sessions court here on Wednesday directed the Bhaati Gate police to register a criminal case against federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on a complaint of lawyers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on charges of manhandling the lawyers and damaging their vehicles.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Mian Mudassar Umar Bodla observed that the contents of the application submitted for the registration of a criminal case attracted offences under Section 155-C of Police Order 2002 and Sections 166(1) and 427 of PPC.

The judge directed the SHO of Bhaati Gate police station to register a criminal case and proceed in the matter strictly in accordance with law.

Advocate Haider Majeed had filed the petition under Sections 22A and 22B of the CrPC for the registration of FIR. Hundreds of lawyers gathered in the court in support of the petitioner.

After the judge issued the order, the lawyers celebrated their ‘victory’ by chanting slogans in favour of unity among the legal fraternity.

In his decision, the judge observed that the ex-officio justice of peace was not supposed to act mechanically, rather he was required to act judiciously and while doing so he must peruse record, hear arguments, and make up his opinion.

Hailing the court order, PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that all the government functionaries involved in the “torture” of the participants of `Haqiqi Azadi march’ would be taken to task.

Talking to reporters at the Lahore High Court, he said all the appointments made by the provincial government were illegal as Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz had lost majority in the Punjab Assembly.

He said the way the police officers executed the government’s agenda to crush PTI’s peaceful march was without any legal order. He said PTI would hold accountable all those police officers and personnel who were involved in conducting raids on the houses of party workers, violating the sanctity of four walls and arresting them.

On Tuesday, the interior minister warned the PTI against announcing another long march. Besides, in multiple tweets, he said no ‘fasadi’ (troublemaker) long march would be allowed to enter Islamabad in future. He said no one would be permitted to torture the personnel of the law enforcement agencies.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2022