LAHORE, Dec 21: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday directed SP (Operations) Aftab Ahmad Cheema to appear in person on Jan 17 to explain reason for the plea that the conviction of the Harbanspura SHO should be suspended.

A single bench of the high court sentenced SHO Sarfraz Ali Shah for contempt of court on Nov 29, and ordered his release the following day. He was convicted on the contempt of court plea by Rashida Bibi of Harbanspura, who stated that the police were not vacating the portion of her residential plot that had been incorporated within the police station premises. The police had also ignored the court order for vacation.

The Punjab government filed an appeal against the SHO's conviction and officiating advocate-general Muhammad Hanif Khatana submitted the decision of the single bench after a statement by the complainant and her husband that the police had vacated their land.

BAIL: Another LHC division bench on Tuesday granted bail to Malik Muhammad Nasir of a defunct cooperative society, who was sentenced to prison by a National Accountability Bureau on the charge of appropriating 212 kanals. NAB standing counsel Asad Manzoor opposed the bail plea submitting that he, along with other accused, had sold the land through fake title deeds.