Delayed enforcement: Govt not in a hurry to withdraw Qadri case
Under declaration, both sides were to drop cases registered against each other.
File photo of leader of Minhaj-ul-Quran International Tahirul Qadri addressing his supporters from behind the window of an armoured vehicle on the second day of protests in Islamabad January 15, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
At least one point of the five-point ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’ signed between the government and Dr Tahirul Qadri can be swiftly implemented – the withdrawal of the case registered against Dr Qadri and his associates at Kohsar police station.
However, the government till Friday night showed “no interest or hurry” in contacting the court for the withdrawal of the case, said a senior police officer. “The instructions have to come from the ministry of interior which have yet not been received,” the police officer said.
Dr Qadri and 16 of his Minhajul Quran International (MQI) associates were booked by Kohsar police under at least 11 sections of law, including that for attempted murder.
It was registered on the complaint of Inspector Bhara Kahu police station, Mehbooh Ahmed, who suffered injuries during a brief clash with MQI followers, after a police party attempted to arrest the firebrand cleric and some of the long march participants put up resistance.
The declaration in its last point stated that with the end of the dharna, “All cases registered against each other [government and MQI] shall be withdrawn immediately.”
“I don’t think it would happen that easily and that quickly. There were no indications from the ministry so far that the police contact the court for the case’s withdrawal,” the police officer added.
On the other hand, the police would also be dropped from a complaint registered by MQI officials against them and Interior Minister Rehman Malik over the same incident for allegedly ‘trying to kidnap’ Dr Qadri and damaging their property.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.
At least one point of the five-point ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’ signed between the government and Dr Tahirul Qadri can be swiftly implemented – the withdrawal of the case registered against Dr Qadri and his associates at Kohsar police station.
However, the government till Friday night showed “no interest or hurry” in contacting the court for the withdrawal of the case, said a senior police officer. “The instructions have to come from the ministry of interior which have yet not been received,” the police officer said.
Dr Qadri and 16 of his Minhajul Quran International (MQI) associates were booked by Kohsar police under at least 11 sections of law, including that for attempted murder.
It was registered on the complaint of Inspector Bhara Kahu police station, Mehbooh Ahmed, who suffered injuries during a brief clash with MQI followers, after a police party attempted to arrest the firebrand cleric and some of the long march participants put up resistance.
The declaration in its last point stated that with the end of the dharna, “All cases registered against each other [government and MQI] shall be withdrawn immediately.”
“I don’t think it would happen that easily and that quickly. There were no indications from the ministry so far that the police contact the court for the case’s withdrawal,” the police officer added.
On the other hand, the police would also be dropped from a complaint registered by MQI officials against them and Interior Minister Rehman Malik over the same incident for allegedly ‘trying to kidnap’ Dr Qadri and damaging their property.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.