LAHORE, Aug 8: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted protective bail to three officials of the Special Branch allegedly involved in a case of issuing false intelligence report on murder plot of former LHC chief justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif.

The Federal Investigation Agency, Punjab, had registered the case against the accused, including Special Branch Punjab Director Shahid Mahmood, and two other personnel Muhammad Azam and Ijaz Ahmad.

Representing the petitioners (accused) Advocate Azam Nazir Tarar argued that they had no role in the alleged murder plot of Justice Sharif but the FIA intentionally implicated them in the case. He said a judicial commission constituted by the Supreme Court had ordered departmental action against them, but they were being victimised due to political tussle between federal and Punjab governments. The counsel prayed to the court to grant protective bail to petitioners and restrain the FIA from arresting them.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi granted them protective bail till Aug 23 and stopped the FIA from arresting the accused. The judge also directed the accused to approach trial court for extension in bail.

Special Branch Punjab chief Col (retired) Ehsanur Rehman, Secretary to Punjab CM Tauqeer Shah and a PML-N worker, Talha Burki, were also booked by the FIA.

They all were accused of hatching a conspiracy to produce a false intelligence report on the murder plot in a bid to create differences among the federal government, provincial government and judiciary.

Traffic plans: Chief Traffic Officer Dr Usman Anwar on Wednesday submitted to the Lahore High Court traffic plans for pre and post-Rapid Bus Transit System project.

The plans contained routes/tracks for smooth flow of ambulances towards all government hospitals situated along the RBTS route, especially Lahore General Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Gulab Devi Hospital.

The traffic plans were submitted to the court of Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh in response to a petition against removal of a U-turn on Ferozepur Road in front of the Lahore General Hospital to facilitate construction of the RBTS track.

The CTO told the court that after the completion of the RBTS track, ambulances would be allowed to move on the track till launch of the bus service. He said removal of encroachments from side lanes would be ensured before start of the bus service so that ambulances and other emergency vehicles could move swiftly.

The traffic plans contained suggestions like construction of exclusive roads for emergency vehicles in the middle of main roads. After going through the traffic plans, the judge adjourned the case till Aug 30.