Trigger happy: Judge-threatening SHO appears before Peshawar High Court

Policeman pointed gun at sessions’ judge in Charsadda court

PESHAWAR: Pointing a pistol at a judge does not come without a price, as was discovered by a station house officer of Shabqadar.

Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel was told by Additional Advocate General Qaiser Ali Shah that a police official was demoted to the rank of additional sub inspector and also sent for refresher courses as a punishment.

The officer was summoned by a judge at a district and sessions court in Charsadda for failing to implement orders. The SHO was allegedly guilty of not registering an FIR in a robbery case and that was the reason he was told to appear. When the policeman turned up at court, he and the judge exchanged some harsh words. Unable to contain himself, the SHO took out his pistol and pointed it at the judge.

When the hearing of this case commenced on a contempt of court notice at PHC, SHO Murtaza’s counsel Ayaz Majid produced an unconditional apology from Murtaza before the single-member bench.

He argued departmental action had been taken against the policeman and he was demoted to the rank of an assistant sub inspector. He requested his client be pardoned unconditionally. The bench adjourned the case till July 14.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2016.