SARGODHA: District Bar Association (DBA) President Rana Zafar Yasin has announced that, starting from Sept 4, the bar will not allow any police official to enter the court premises and has demanded immediate transfer of the district police officer (DPO).

He told a press conference that the police not only broke into the bar room but also arrested former DBA president Shafquat Abbas Awan without any justification.

Awan, an activist of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), was later released on bail by the Lahore High Court.

Mr Yasin said the bar would not allow the police to humiliate their members.

The DBA has been observing a strike since Aug 7 in protest against the arrest of Bar Secretary Zameer Hussain Sherazi, who was arrested after May 9 and released only after he announced his resignation from the PTI.

Mr Sherazi has now said that he was coerced by the police into making the statement, as they threatened to arrest his entire family and showed him documents implicating them in an incident on May 9.

He alleged that the police forcibly obtained his signature on blank papers. He vowed his political affiliation with the PTI and apologised to his colleagues who faced troubles due to his statement while in police custody.

TREES: The Health Department has also joined the ongoing ‘One Tree for Pakistan’ campaign.

A ceremony was held at the Shahpur Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.

Under the campaign, saplings will be planted in the green areas of government hospitals, doctors’ government residences and other places in the division.

Conservator Niaz Muhammad, DFO Nisarul Haq, Assistant Commissioner Farwa Batul, Health CEO Dr Asad Aslam, and MS Dr Ayesha Wajid, along with other doctors, paramedical staff, and the families of the patients, participated in the ceremony.

More than 100 saplings were planted in the hospital’s green area and along the street during the event.

Up to 500 saplings were distributed to doctors, paramedical staff and the relatives of the patients.

ARRESTED: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) arrested a patwari while receiving bribe for land demarcation and recovered tainted currency from his possession.

Muhammad Abrar of Bakhra Mianwali alerted the ACE that he had bought a one-kanal house in Piplan and paid an additional amount for the approval of inheritance mutation.

Circle Patwari Muhammad Tahir was contacted for demarcation, and he demanded Rs10,000 to measure the area.

Under the supervision of Muhammad Jameel Bhatti, magistrate section 30, the Mianwali ACE found and seized the marked currency from the possession of the patwari.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2023