LAHORE, Aug 27: The Supreme Court has taken a strong exception to the inaction of the Punjab police for not arresting a murder accused while he was busy in his electioneering.

The three-member Supreme Court bench directed the Punjab IGP and the Faisalabad DPO to arrest murder accused Ashaar Waseem, who had won the election of nazim from a union council in Khurrianwala.

Comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar and Justice Sayed Saeed Ashhad, the bench also declined to grant leave to appeal to the nazim-elect.

Ashaar was granted pre-arrest bail by the Faisalabad sessions court in the last week of June. The LHC cancelled the bail on July 13, but he filed his nomination papers and also moved the apex court in leave to appeal.

The Supreme Court took up his petition on Aug 25, the day of second phase of the local elections, but he failed to turn up. His counsel submitted that the appellant was busy in elections and would appear the following day.

The petition was again taken up on Friday and the court was informed by the counsel that the appellant had won the election.