Centre moves court against police challan in Safdar case

Says inappropriate to deny complainant’s presence at mausoleum on basis of call record data

KARACHI:

The federal government, through assistant attorney general, on Saturday filed a petition in the city courts against the Sindh police’s challan – which recommended declaring the case regarding alleged violation of the sanctity of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mausoleum by PML-N leader Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar on October 18 as B Class (false).

Assistant Attorney General Muhammad Ahmed filed the petition in the court on behalf of the Centre.

The petition stated, “It is inappropriate to deny the presence of the complainant at Mazar-e-Quaid on the basis of call data record.”

The Sindh police had submitted in the court that neither the complainant of the FIR, Waqas Khan, who is a nephew of PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh, had joined the investigation nor was the veracity of his claims established during the probe, which showed that he was not present at the mausoleum when the alleged offence occurred.

The petitioner prayed the court to order the investigation officer to gather evidence from the media as well as social media.

“The whole nation is saddened by the violation of Mazar-e-Quaid,” the petition stated, praying the court to scrutinise the evidence and decide on merit.

Further, the judicial magistrate (East) adjourned the hearing of the challan submitted by the police in the case against Capt (retd) Safdar till November 16 as judicial matters remained suspended due to the sad demise of Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth on Thursday.

The court will decide on November 16 (Monday) whether to accept the police challan.

Separately, the local court rejected a plea filed by the Mazar-e-Quaid Management Board to take action against Capt (retd) Safdar for allegedly violating the sanctity of the Father of the Nation’s mausoleum.

Judicial sources said that the petition was rejected as it did not have a power of attorney with it.

They said that the court has directed the management board to attach a power of attorney with the petition and resubmit it on Monday.

The petition was filed by Manager Ghulam Akbar Memon under the prevailing rules, which allow the board to directly approach the court. For the first time since October 18, an application has been filed with a magistrate under the prevailing procedure.