Plea against lawyers’ bail faces objection

Petition contends PIC attack was pre-planned and its purpose was to restrain doctors from performing duties

LAHORE: The Punjab government appears reluctant in removing an objection raised by the registrar’s office on its appeal filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against pre-arrest bail granted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) to eight lawyers, including a nephew of Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the case pertaining to an attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) that caused the death of three cardiac patients, wreckage of emergency equipment and damage to vehicles.

The registrar’s office had raised objection over the non-submission of attested copies of the FIRs of cases in which the lawyers had obtained bail orders.

The appeal will be fixed for proceedings after the objection is removed.

Earlier, the provincial government had filed a petition through the prosecutor-general of Punjab, seeking the cancellation of bails of the accused, contending that the PIC attack was pre-planned and its purpose was to interfere in the hospital’s matters and to restrain doctors from performing their duties for the public.

The petition contended that the trial court had granted them bails in haste without applying its judicial mind.

During the incident, the death of some patients occurred due to the removal of oxygen masks, the government added.

Lawyers call for inquiry into PIC attack

The respondents were also involved in damaging hospital property as well as equipment, it said.

The accused persons were visible in video clips while committing the attack. They also set ablaze a vehicle of police and assaulted officials owing to which the cops suffered severe injuries.

The trial court has to see tentative assessment but it deeply appreciated the evidence which prejudiced the case of the prosecution, the petition said.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court’s Justice Shahid Waheed issued an arrest warrant of Deputy Commissioner Afzal Danish for not complying with an order.

As the proceedings commenced, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Revenue Mohammad Asghar Joiya appeared before the court, at which Justice Waheed remarked that he had summoned the deputy commissioner. Joiya said he had appeared before the court as the matter was about the revenue department.

The officer who was summoned by the court should be present in the courtroom, remarked Justice Waheed.

The petitioner’s counsel implored the court that it had sent the matter to the deputy commissioner for further proceedings but all went in vain as the matter was not taken up by the officer.