Political victimisation: IG, secy summoned over PML-Q petition

Petitioner submits that police has arrested dozens of PML-Q workers, many in Gujrat, since the PML-N has taken over.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought a report from the home secretary and the inspector general of Punjab Police on a petition from Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin challenging police action against his workers.

Justice Chaudhry Iftikhar Hussain directed the respondents to file their reports in two weeks and also summoned the Gujrat district police officer and the Rehmania station house officer for the next hearing.

The petitioner submitted that the police had arrested dozens of PML-Quaid-iAzam workers, many in Gujrat, since the PML-Nawaz had taken over the provincial government. He said the arrests were a form of political victimisation.

He alleged that PML-N workers had assaulted his party’s workers at the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry on January 19, then beat up the injured workers in hospital. The police registered a case against the victims rather than the aggressors, he said.

Zaheeruddin said that an application had been filed before the Gujrat sessions judge for the registration of cases against the PML-N workers, but it was dismissed. He said the police were arresting PML-Q workers.

He asked the court to stop the police from arresting his party’s workers and to release the ones in custody immediately. He also asked that the cases against his party workers be withdrawn.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2011.