IHC suspends FIR against PM, others

Issues notices to leadership of Tehreek-e-Insaf.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday suspended a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, members of his cabinet and top police officials in connection with violence on Constitution Avenue on August 30.

Accepting an application filed by top police officials, the court also issued notices to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership, on whose complaint the FIR had been lodged. The FIR was registered on September 27 on the order of the additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ).

On October 11, former Islamabad inspector general (IG) Khalid Khattak, along with the Punjab and Railways inspectors general and the Islamabad chief commissioner, challenged the registration of the FIR, contending that a trial court has no right to intervene in executive decisions.

Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana requested that the court set aside the sessions judge’s order. He had argued that under Section 22-A, the judiciary and executive were separate pillars of the state and judicial officers could not pass orders against administrative actions. He had contended that police officials were deputed to protect state buildings and only resisted the protesters when they entered buildings.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 17^th, 2014.