Rule of law: Police attack suspect’s family seeks protection

Qari Muhammad Shakir is under arrest for allegedly attacking a police station

LAHORE: An additional district and sessions judge sought comments on Saturday from the Shahdara SHO on a petition filed by the wife of a man arrested for allegedly attacking a police station.

Petitioner Farida Bano, wife of Qari Muhammad Shakir, told the court that police were harassing her after the arrest of her husband.

“On August 12, the SHO forced his way into our house. He searched our belongings. When I asked him why he was doing so, he threatened me with dire consequences,” she said.

She requested the court to restrain the SHO from causing illegal, unlawful and unjustified harassment to her family.

According to the FIR registered against Shakir on November 15, 2013, policemen had arrested Muhammad Yousaf Rizvi alias Tokay Wali Sarkar to stop him from delivering a speech at the Shuhada-i-Karbala Sunni Conference at Chowk Begum Kot.

“Qari Muhammad Shakir made announcements using the mosque loudspeaker urging people to sacrifice their lives to free him. A mob then stormed the police station and freed Rizvi,” the FIR stated.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2015.