Punjab

LHC gives ex-DPO time to engage counsel

Earlier the bench issued a notice to Chohan, seeking cancellation of his bail.

Express November 02, 2010

SIALKOT: A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday gave time to former district police officer Sialkot, Waqar Ahmad Chohan, to engage a counsel for the hearing of Punjab government’s appeal against his bail in the Sialkot lynching case.

As the proceedings began, Chohan appeared before the court and sought time to engage a counsel. The bench accepted his request and granted him time till November 8.

Previously, the bench comprising Chief Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif and Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh issued a notice to Chohan on the petition of the Punjab government, seeking cancellation of his bail.

An anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala ordered Chohan’s release on bail upon furnishing surety bonds worth Rs100,000. Chohan is among five other policemen arrested in connection with the Sialkot lynching case. The other five include Bashir Ahmed, Mohammad Yasin, Mohammad Akram, Nadir Hussain and Naseer Ahmed.

The appellate/state counsel Eihtisham Qadir submitted that the former DPO was not entitled to the bail as his part had been described as that of a supervisor in the FIR. He said Chohan had allowed the mob to take the bodies to the village and had also let them lynch the two teenaged brothers Hafiz Moghees and Muneeb.

Qadir said the offence falls under section 21 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and such a criminal could not be granted bail. He requested that the bail granted to Chohan by the trial court be cancelled so that justice could prevail.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2010.

COMMENTS (9)

SA | 13 years ago | Reply Judges are at their best here in this case; had the case been transferred to lower courts it would take years.. thanks to Allah its still within the ATC!

Hamza | 13 years ago | Reply The DPO andall other culprits need to be punished Inshallah, may the lazy judges give their judgement soon.

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SA | 14 years ago | Reply I just remarked on chohan's "vision" that despite having reached there he had to be INFORMED/ TOLD / of the whereabouts of the dead bodies he didnt see what was comin next. Didnt he know where they were heading with the bodies in the garbage truck? Or is he such a non-entity that his so-called subordinates didnt even bother to seek his instructions and did whatever they wanted to?

SA | 14 years ago | Reply If LHC judges have such a soft corner for him when are they going to grant him another bail? Why dont you add to our info? Hasn't it been moved to ATC? And for your information, media is hardly reporting anything related to this case so your your protests are baseless. Media hasn't even reported his departure on Hajj... :>!!

anonymous | 14 years ago | Reply Only Allah will reveal the real story (soon INSHALLAH) because i dont have time to argue here. BTW it is on record that when Waqar Chohan was told that the bodies were being paraded he said " move the police van forward and take the bodies straight to the hospital" he could only order his subordinates it is not the duty of a district police officer to take the bodies to hospital on his sholders. stop these childish and stupid claims. and for your kind information all these idiots who took the application for bail cancellation to the LHC were slammed by the LHC judges for such idiotic move but you media would never show that ALLAH WILL INSHALLAH..

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Anonymous wake up dear its morning time.. oh by the way you've yourself said that he was the one who ordered the removal of the bodies when they were hung on a water tank because people wanted to set the bodies on fire…. and after that he went for a break or what? A shower? A cup of coffee? Movie? WHERE THE HELL WAS HE WHEN THE BODIES WERE BEING PARADED IN THE STREETS OF SIALKOT? WHERE WAS HE? He's not really that important to anyone (except for you) that people would fram him on purpose! There are already enough to be framed and their implication in the killing is evident from the vides no one cares for a nobody good for nothing useless person like chohan who has brought this disgrace to himself just for his incompetence. Admit it, he HAD a role!!!

anonymous | 14 years ago | Reply "He said Chohan had allowed the mob to take the bodies to the village and had also let them lynch the two teenaged brothers Hafiz Moghees and Muneeb" It is amazing that for some people lying is so easy. They can go to such an extent and put an innocent officer's life in trouble.... even Kazim's report states that DPO was not present at the crime scene so how did he let THEM lynch???????? and why would he order desecration of the bodies???? Waqar Chohan is an officer who was always against lynching. he was known as a soft officer in his department because he did not support this street justice culture. he was the one who ordered the removal of the bodies when they were hung on a water tank because people wanted to set the bodies on fire.... He is suffering today because of his efficiency... the lesson here is NO POLICE OFFICER SHOULD BE EFFICIENT LIKE WAQAR CHOHAN because if you arrive at the crime scene to help others, cameras can catch you and make your life a hell and make false stories out of it... ALLAH will provide justice to waqar chohan.

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Congratulations to the victims' family, charges have been framed..

SA | 14 years ago | Reply Well done Qadir.. the whole world knows he was complicit in disgracing the dead bodies if not the killing.. yet he pleads not guilty. Iron nerves!!

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