MARDAN, Nov 3: District and sessions judge Irshad Qaiser granted bail before arrest to district nazim Himayatullah Mayar following a quarrel between the latter and a police operator.

Mr Mayar was booked under various sections for allegedly thrashing and threatening the operator at the police lines late on Tuesday night.

According to the nazim, he was scheduled to go to Baghicha Dheri village to attend a meeting on the law and order situation. When he asked the District Police Officer (DPO) for a mobile guard to escort him he was reportedly told that the Shahbaz Garhi police would provide the guard to him.

The nazim said that when he went to the Shahbaz Garhi police station and asked the operator on duty for the guard he allegedly misbehaved with him.

The matter was brought to the notice of the DPO who, according to the nazim, misinformed him that the operator had been punished and sent to the quarter guard. However, Mr Mayar said, when he visited the police lines he saw the operator sitting outside and added that upon his inquiry the operator responded that even the chief minister could not put him behind bars.

Consequently, the nazim said, there was a brawl between the operator and him but police levelled a number of false sections against him.