LAHORE: The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) has suspended two patrolling officers from service, allegedly for stopping an anti-terrorism court judge from travelling on Sialkot Motorway (M-II) that was closed due to fog.

According to NHMP sources, the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway was closed for traffic due to fog three days ago, when the official vehicle of an ATC judge and the police squad accompanying it forcibly crossed the barrier at Muridke interchange and entered the motorway around 8:30am.

They say that on receiving a call from the NHMP headquarters, two patrolling officers — Shakir Ali and Haider Ali — stopped the judge’s vehicle at the next interchange. The patrolling officer challaned the vehicles for forcibly entering the motorway.

A footage circulating on social media showed that the patrolling officers had stopped the judge’s convoy and were preparing challan of the vehicles.

A policeman, on the condition of anonymity, told Dawn the judge was annoyed over stopping of his convoy and threatened to “hold the court on the motorway and start proceedings against the patrolling officers under terrorism sections for stopping him.”

He termed the suspension of patrolling officers unjustified, saying they were just enforcing the law. He demanded the chief justice of Pakistan to order an inquiry into the incident and “provide justice to the two patrolling officers”.

The NHMP spokesperson was not available for his comments.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2022