Polling day violence: Court tells police not to harass victim’s family
Former Punjab law minister says police arresting and pressuring his supporters, relatives
Muhammad Basharat Raja. PHOTO: SHAHBAZ MALIK
RAWALPINDI:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench on Tuesday directed the police not to harass family members of former Punjab law minister Basharat Raja after he petitioned the court saying police were harassing and arresting his supporters and relatives for no reason.
The petition was filed in connection with the murder of Shoaib Iqbal Raja, the ex-minister’s nephew who was killed on December 5, the polling day, allegedly by supporters of a PML-N candidate in union council No 86, Dhamial.
Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi of the LHC issued the directions after hearing the petition filed by Basharat Raja through his counsel, Sardar Abdul Razik. Raja had listed the Punjab Police inspector general, Rawalpindi regional police officer (RPO), city police officer (CPO) and Saddar Beruni police SHO as respondents.
The petitioner maintained that the police were harassing the supporters and relatives of his client and had so far arrested 17 “innocent people” from the Dhamial village.
The court has also directed the CPO and the SHO to file a detailed response by December 23.
The petitioner said that the police had registered a criminal case against 60 unnamed persons for allegedly torching a vehicle and offices of Asad Mahmood, the PML-N candidate for chairman in the UC who lost to Basharat Raja’s nephew and the victim’s cousin, Moeen Sultan Raja.
The police had registered the case, the petitioner said, to harass and pressure his supporters.
Basharat Raja said that the police had not arrested Ikhlaq Ahmed, younger brother of Mahmood and “the prime suspect” in the case.
Asad Mahmood and two others were arrested by Karachi Police and handed over to Rawalpindi police. An anti-terrorism court remanded them into police custody for eight days on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2015.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench on Tuesday directed the police not to harass family members of former Punjab law minister Basharat Raja after he petitioned the court saying police were harassing and arresting his supporters and relatives for no reason.
The petition was filed in connection with the murder of Shoaib Iqbal Raja, the ex-minister’s nephew who was killed on December 5, the polling day, allegedly by supporters of a PML-N candidate in union council No 86, Dhamial.
Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi of the LHC issued the directions after hearing the petition filed by Basharat Raja through his counsel, Sardar Abdul Razik. Raja had listed the Punjab Police inspector general, Rawalpindi regional police officer (RPO), city police officer (CPO) and Saddar Beruni police SHO as respondents.
The petitioner maintained that the police were harassing the supporters and relatives of his client and had so far arrested 17 “innocent people” from the Dhamial village.
The court has also directed the CPO and the SHO to file a detailed response by December 23.
The petitioner said that the police had registered a criminal case against 60 unnamed persons for allegedly torching a vehicle and offices of Asad Mahmood, the PML-N candidate for chairman in the UC who lost to Basharat Raja’s nephew and the victim’s cousin, Moeen Sultan Raja.
The police had registered the case, the petitioner said, to harass and pressure his supporters.
Basharat Raja said that the police had not arrested Ikhlaq Ahmed, younger brother of Mahmood and “the prime suspect” in the case.
Asad Mahmood and two others were arrested by Karachi Police and handed over to Rawalpindi police. An anti-terrorism court remanded them into police custody for eight days on Monday.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2015.