LAHORE, Sept 22: Justice M Bilal Khan of the Lahore High Court on Monday put off proceedings in a petition filed by PML-Q’s Chaudhry Zaheerud Din against the alleged arrest of 200 party workers.
Zaheer, also PML-Q opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly, says the PML-N government has arrested the party workers under political considerations. The court had summoned district police officers (DPOs) of Gujarat and Mandi Bahauddin on the last date of hearing.
On Monday, both the officials appeared before the court and submitted that the record of cases registered against accused persons is lying with subordinate courts. At this the judge asked them to produce the entire record within the court time and adjourned the hearing till Sept 25. Later, the DPOs submitted the record in the court.
The petitioner has challenged the ‘illegal’ arrests of PML-Q workers and alleged political victimisation on the part of PML-N led Punjab government. Dr Khalid Ranjha and Chaudhry Fawwad Husain are representing the petitioner.
He said on Sept 17 last, PML-Q arranged an Iftar dinner for its parliamentarians and workers. But, he said, the PML-N some how took this gathering as political affront and show of strength by the PML-Q.
The national newspapers had already heated the debate that PML-N was loosing its majority and PML-Q was getting its strength back and at the same time leaning towards the Pakistan People’s Party.
The opposition leader alleged that the Punjab chief minister directed the home secretary to frustrate the flexing of muscles by PML-Q and to slice the party.
Mr Zaheer in his petition further stated that on the direction of home secretary, DPOs of Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin launched a crackdown against PML-Q and arrested over 200 party's workers under fake cases of section 153 PPC.
Police arrested and tortured the workers only to settle political scores of PML-N government, he said. He prayed to the court to direct the Punjab IG to produce the complete record of ‘campaign’ against PML-Q and be restrained from invoking section 153 PPC in future.
All the arrested workers be produced before a medical board for their examination, he further prayed.