ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik says a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the escape of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan from police custody, Express 24/7 reported on Saturday.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Malik said the PML-N should have suspended the MNA after he escaped from police custody last night, but the party had only issued statements in reaction to the incident.
The interior minister said police had been ordered to shift Anjum Aqeel to the Secretariat or Margalla police station, but he had been taken to Shalima Police Station instead. He said police had not handcuffed Khan as a goodwill gesture.
Malik said the police had not returned fire during the incident and said that they should have passed on information so that action could have been taken to control the situation.
He said the concerned police officials had been suspended and an inquiry had been ordered against them.
Malik said a case had been registered against Khan after investigations had been carried out in accordance with a suo motu notice by the Supreme Court.
He appealed to the PML-N MNA to surrender and said that he would be tried according to the law.
Hundreds of protesters had earlier assaulted a police party taking Khan to Shalimar Police Station and had helped him flee from police custody.
Khan was named in two cases registered after a sub-committee formed by the Interior Secretary to look in to a fraud and embezzlement case in which Khan, along with others usurped nearly Rs6 billion worth of land.
PML-N forms disciplinary committee
Taking notice of Anjum Aqeel’s escape from police custody, the PML-N has formed a disciplinary committee to probe the incident.
The committee has been set up on the directions of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and will be headed by Raja Zafarul Haq.
Earlier, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah had claimed the escape episode could be part of a conspiracy to malign the PML-N.
He said the people who helped the legislator escape were not PML-N workers and that it should be ascertained whether Aqeel had fled himself or was forced to do so.
Sanaullah asserted the PML-N had directed the MNA to face the law and prove his innocence before court.
Twenty-one sent on judicial remand
Twenty-one ‘accomplices’ of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan have been sent on 14-day judicial remand.
Eleven others have been sent on five-day physical remand.
Speaking to Express 24/7, PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq said that the act was Khan’s personal action and the party will take action once allegations against him have been proven.
COMMENTS (18)
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This mobocracy, rule of mob mentalty, is increasingly becoming with us a way of political-jangal-life, through these so-called'par-tease', which try their best to tear-way the whole social fabric of civilised society.This MNA-free-dirty episode by the power-hungery-coruption mafia of 'might-is-righ'philosophy has actually performed the replay of the attack on the Suprem Court in Islamabd, when the then Chief Justice, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah had to run away through the back door to save his life from theunruly attackers.These-like in-glorious heroic 'act' were performed by both 'Jialas' and 'Nawalas' of the two big partease'. These tackers were directly sent by the ruling 'partea' of Punjab. All such remeniscences of foul-play by poerful people show that we are repeating our historical mistakes without learning any lesson from history,a sure way to go down and down to get lost into the world un-known. God forbid.
At least it shows that people understand that laws can't be broken so brazenly. I think a greater awareness of laws and the constitution is growing in Pakistan. After all, a dictator took over the government and many people openly supported it then. Now people realize how wrong it is to take the law in your own hands. Awareness of primacy of law is there but we just need to work more on its implementation! As for those people scoring political points for one party over another, I think we all know such unsavory characters exist in all parties and at all levels in Pakistan. The main thing is that the party leadership told this criminal to turn himself in.
I pity the policemen and dont really blame them :) imagine had they taken an action and then faced Rehman Malik for abiding to the law of the land
this is highly pathetic news of our big leader for whom our big fleet of people even police too, sacrificed through all means thinking that this party would turn the table of our country; Alas! what happened, nothing is left to say. Who comes on the seats, loots us, loots, this country, this public and then made off. still this situation is happening. We have no leaders, no guide, we are still sleeping. Daily sweet dreams are show to us and then after some time we are thrown back. This is the juxtaposition of all destiny, our elected leaders, our acts as well. These sort of episodes will be taking place uptill then we dont get jerk. We will have to raise together to fight with such nefarious people and elements of society who have ill-wills for us, for our country.....
I agree Government should announce head money for this criminal, who has a long history of criminal activities, harassment, land encroach and a big time womanizer!! He must be hang upside down at F 10 Markaz round about.
Is a committee needed as directed by Nawaz ? Isn't it clear enough ?
@Maher: Its not funny. This is very serious. Here we are talking about billions of rupees of poor people. I don't find any humor in it.
PML-N continues to set dangerous precedents. Just wondering what it would be like if it comes to power in the center. From their track record, I would say total anarchy!
The bottle of wine was more important than a fraud of 6billion with the poor people, especially when you have a liking for the booze.
Prominent PML-N party members had their cut in the transactions, which is the major hurdle against his suspension. Don't know about the judges, but everyone has a price. The fact that they turned a blind eye just makes the whole situation fishy.
hahahah funny. MNL escapes from Police station. Wow, a dacot has escape from dacot station...
The police should have use lethal force on the protestors
govt should be announce SITAR-E-JURAAT for Aqeel Anjum, he is role model for elites class.
its the right of 6 hundread million rupees frudia
where is govt rit????????
Govt should announce head money,
Just an eyewash. For months it has being reported in the news that this person commited worst kind of corruption yet PML N did nothing whatsover!
Does attacking police station and fleeing from custody require further proof in the law abiding land called Pakistan?