LHC seeks reply on arms case against minors

Police nominated two brothers aged one and a half years and nine years on charges of possessing a Kalashnikov, pistol

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has sought reply from an SHO on a petition for quashing an FIR against two children nominated in a case of possessing weapons.

Police had nominated the brothers aged one and a half years and nine years on charges of possessing a Kalashnikov and a pistol.

LHC’s Justice Tariq Abbasi sought reply from the SHO of Sheikhupura Factory Area by February 4.

The petition by one-and–a-half-year-old Hamad, nine-year-old Amir and their father Manzoor Ahmed cited the Punjab police inspector general, Sheikhupura district police officer, Ferozwala sub-divisional police officer and the SHO as respondents.

The petitioners contended that they had constructed a house in Garden Housing Scheme. They said the owners of the housing society failed to provide the promised basic facilities. Finally the owners of the society, in connivance with officials, started registered cases against the residents, they alleged.

The petitioners contended that they had been punished for demanding the facilities promised by the society owners.

Factory Area police of Sheikhupura district, on the complaint of Arshad Sialvi, registered FIR 1677/2019 against 18 nominated people, including the minors, and 100 unidentified persons under sections 427, 506-B,148 and 149 of PPC.

The FIR stated that the complainant was administrative officer in Garden Housing Scheme and armed people had attacked its office for not fulfilling their demands. He alleged that the accused damaged equipment at the office, thrashed the staff, kept them hostage for several hours and snatched Rs175,000, two laptops and other items.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2020.