ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zadi issued non-bailable arrest warrants for PAT and PTI leadership in response to two separate First Information Report (FIRs) registered by Secretariat police against Imran, Qadri, Qureshi, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, PTI leader Saifullah Niazi, PAT president Dr Raheeq Abbasi, Asad Umar and others for attacking Pakistan Television Corporation’s (PTV) headquarters and Parliament on August 31 and September 1.
Three protesters were killed while hundreds of protesters and police personnel were injured during the clashes which started on the eve of August 31.
The FIR had been registered on the complainant of Station House Officer (SHO) Secretariat Inspector Mehboob Ahmed. The complainant’s application alleged that protesters had attacked government building after they snatched weapons from police. The case is pending before the ATC where police had sought the physical custody of the accused.
A senior police official told The Express Tribune that they will arrest the accused and will produce them before the court. The official added that Qadri is likely to land at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore on November 16 from where he will be arrested. According to the official the main trial is pending in the court and police will submit challan after arresting the accused.
Soon after the court’s order, addressing the sit-in protesters, PTI chief said he welcomes the court’s order. I am standing here at D-Chowk, come and get me, said Imran.
He also claimed that none of the PTI workers and supporters were involved in violence evoked at any time during sit-in.
ISF, Youth & all PTI wings in Isb/Rwp must coordinate even more strongly and form a multilayered security chain around Khan sb's container.
— Adil Ansari (@AnsariAdil) November 12, 2014
Govt has totally lost it! & they r merely hastening their own downfall. Arrest warrants will not stop IK & PTI from going forward for Insaf!
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 12, 2014
Heard the good news that arrest warrants have been issued for IK , SMQ ,myself and some other leaders. They are welcome to come and get me:)
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) November 12, 2014
COMMENTS (48)
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@Retired M: Please provide the links. Thanks.
The "Dharna" politics needed some catalyst to create a new spark ... government has provided that by this step !!!!
wow how brave the court is..does the judge not deserve a million gold medals for such a brave decision by letting go the killers of model town lahore and issuing warrants for those who stand against the liars,corupts,enemies of state...how tragic.can these guys get any worse than this?
so if pml is so bad and punjab is worst off under them why is it that pti is limiting to campaign only here and not other parts of progressive Pakistan? Think trolls think
@Raghu: Killing of human being is the biggest crime I totally agree with you there should be no doubt about that.But who was responsible for that killing is the question that remains to be answered.Many believe the conspirators behind dharna march are master minds behind this tragedy.Government reluctance to arrest Qadri and others for some obvious reasons has put doubts in some charged section of general public as if it was purely a vendetta for cleric.I'm sure as the dust will settle true picture will emerge exposing the real culprits. Wait and see things are radically going to change.
This judiciary is a joke, what about Model town incident? What about other dozens of incident? SHAME!
Wow was Nawaz Sharif arrested when he ordered an attack on Supreme court this too when he himself was PM of the country?
PML(N) government has done something extremely great for this country. No Anarchist should be spared. Its extremely important for future generations that they are made example. In any other country both Bonga Khan and Fake Revolutionary Thug would have been in jail long before start of their agitation.
IK and Sheeda Butt attacked PTV and the Parliament of Pakistan .
The stars must be seen to prosecute these terrorists. Weak states crumble and fall . We must not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.
PTI objective to get to violence can now finally be achieved. Thank you PML. We PTI can now accelerate the destruction of Pakistan as per Goldsmith London Plan.
I am guilty as charged and deserve maximum punishment.
@arfan: I am from Punjab and I will vote PMLn, for they have made punjab the most progressive province among all others in Pakistan. Evertying from infrastructure, health and education is better. I suggest you wake up to the lies being told by IK.
...and they called Musharraf a dictator?
ha ha ha. aBb aYee gAa maJa (gabbar singh).
@salman: There is no proof ok NS or SS being liked to model town. Howevr Imran Khan and TUQ are on record inciting violence.
We have just taken a step closer to Martial Law. People will soon be clamoring for the military to rectify the gross injustices that these politicians have inflicted on people.
NS incoming downfall showing its effects right now.
@Parvez: Agreed fully that Tahirul Qadri should be given arrest warrant for inciting violence and encouraging brainwashed followers to attack police. Imagine if he did this in Canada where he claims refugee asylum. They would arrest Tahirul Qadri right away but he thinks he can fly first class to Pakistan to cause trouble whenever he wants? Time to arrest this man once and for all.
@S.R.H. Hashmi: Hats off. A great analysis.
@sabi: Which case is bigger. Taking life of innocent people. killing them point black or ransacking a tv station? Please pmln supports don't lose your humanity. If you cant raise your voice for Model town tragedy then you have no moral right to raise voice against IK and TUQ.
Nawaz sharif nd hooligans are petrified of nov 30th nd wud resort to be thing to avoid it
@Fahad: Shame on you for supporting a corrupt person who has failed 2 times and he is about to make a hat trick.
What a pity!
From an Indian American and a non-resident of South Asia; both these gentlemen, IK and TUQ are damaging Pakistan. It is clear to me as a non-vested, non-partisan, independent observer that they both are only interested in personal gratification. They are exploiting the masses and disturbing peace, progress, and democracy in Pakistan and making it appear as if they have good intentions for the people of the country. They are both poor leaders and very short sighted. They have wealth, connections, residencies in foreign countries where they have freedom, safety, and luxuries that an 'Aam Admi' in Pakistan can only dream of. Pakistan needs reconciliation, healing, unity, forward looking policies to solve the country's immense problems, not divisions and point scoring.
I love Pakistan! Drama never ends.
....and no arrest warrants for those responsible for the 14 murders at Model Town Lahore ?
Where is the arrest warrant for those responsible for the brutal murder of Pakistani citizens? Where is the arrest warrant for NS, SS, Maryam Nawaz and the whole family of murderers?
Leaders of PTI should be tried for treason , but I doubt that this docile govt full of characters like its interior minister will have to courage to do the right thing. Arrest warrants are issued by a court but carrying out that order is the job of this govt and I'm sure it will fail miserably to do that .
Welcome to Un-Islamic Republic of Pakistan, where murderers of Christian couple stay free and will not get punished but if you raise your voice against the injustice, corruption, nepotism and social equality, then Dishonorable Judges will spare no moment in issuing arrest warrants. This country will doom with more disasters if nothing concrete is done to stop these thugs from looting this country.
It is strange that while persons held responsible for killing of around a dozen people and wounding of eighty at Model Town, Lahore, have not been arrested, arrest warrants have been issued for Imran Khan, Dr. Tahirul Qadri and their associates and senior leaders for attacking PTV building and parliament, damaging equipment and harassment including beating of government officials. It is claimed by some quarters that attack at PTV was perhaps made by government's own Gullu Butts and the fact that no security was provided at TV station, only serves to confirm this suspicion. As for attack on Parliament building, well, the protesters only partially removed the grills and that too, to escape the excessive tear-gas shelling by Police. Army soldiers were deputed to protect the Parliament building and they asked people not to proceed beyond the lawns and the protesters remained confined to that.
The issuance of arrest warrants seems strange, especially because of coming at a time when there was some hope emerging that a peaceful solution to the problem was likely.
The government will no doubt claim that the decision has been made by the courts on complaints by Police, without any interference on its part, but considering how things happen in our country, no one will believe that and every one would be hundred percent sure that this is being done at government's behest. Moreover, the act depicts the arrogance and suicidal bent of mind which is a peculiar personality trait of Nawaz Sharif. Perhaps Nawaz Sharif thinks that with Dr. Tahirul Qadri out of the country, and Imran having offered compromise on his earlier demand for his immediate resignation, this is the time to increase pressure and the move could also deter Dr. Tahirul Qadri from returning to Pakistan. However, Nawaz Sharif is a poor judge of such things and he will only end up increasing his own difficulties. I vaguely remember someone saying about Nawaz Sharif "If an arrow was flying five metres above the ground, there was no stopping him from leaping into the air, to become a willing target. The urge was just too strong; he couldn’t overcome it." And we know that he did not complete his two earlier terms either. So, looks like he is bent on repeating his earlier feat:. The man is simply incorrigible.
Karachi
Court must act maturely now, we are not living in 90s where the judges act like Govt servants and no objection will be raised .............now because of media people very well know what is the truth. Model town incident happened much before PTV attack drama, there by court must act appropriately and punish people whose name are registered in model town FIR and then look into PTV attack case, if not then better keep quite and stay away of all this dirty politics
Why do not people of Pakistan especially Punjab to se what is Nawaz doing to them and their well deserve money.All he is doing is going abroad with his family and begging for more money,How low can you get.I urge the people of Punjab to wake up to reality ang start backing the true Pakistani person called IMRAN KHAN.
TI is not about any Insaf, but is all about personalitites and power. IK is desparate for power and is creating hype unnecessarily. The governments decision is right albeit a bit late. When someone breaks the law it is the governments responsibility to take action against the culprits.
Pti trolls it's not government but court which has orderd the arrest warrants. Pmln has nothing to di with that but to obey the orders of courts that is , to arrest these law breakers and produce before the court so that justice can be done.This is part of institutions building.
Very good step by the judiciary of Pakistan
Pakistan does not external enemies in the presence of Imran Khan and Qadri.
Only in Pakistan!!!
Suuuure... arrest the leaders of opposition. Because that would make everything okay and people complacent again.
I wonder what is the qualification required to be an adviser to Nawaz Sharif? Be short sighted and stupid?
What about arrest warrants of those named in Model Town FIR? And where is that model Town report anyway?
Although I do not support PTI, or PAT this news is absolutely ridiculous. It is difficult to keep "hope" in Pakistan when even the courts are corrupt to this extent, where are arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, and Rana Sanaullah for the Model Town incident? Please bring Musharraf back! Pakistan desperately needs him.
@Ahmed: Shame on Imran Khan and Qadri who are enemies of democracy. Nawaz Sharif Zindabad.
Both Imran and Qadri should be sent behind bars forever.
Good, fair, and brave decision by the government..