Workers’ arrest: PAT seeks Punjab top judge’s help

The PAT leader says the rulers had lost all respect for law and the Constitution

LAHORE: The Tahirul Qadri-led Pakistan Awami Tehreek has written an open letter to the top judge of Punjab, claiming the life of 18 party workers arrested by the authorities is in danger.

On Friday, PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur wrote a letter to the Lahore High Court chief justice, requesting him to issue immediate orders for their release.

He stated if any of the arrested workers was harmed, the responsibility would rest with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and the Punjab police chief.

On October 27, Gandapur had filed a writ petition in the LHC through his lawyer Chaudhry Ishtiaq, seeking police protection for his workers. He said if immediate action had been taken on his petition earlier, this incident would not have taken place.

The PAT leader said the rulers had lost all respect for law and the Constitution and courts were the only forum from where the people could get relief from dictatorial actions.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2016.