Assault case: PTI MNA, others challenge FIR

HYDERABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) MNA Lal Malhi and other PTI supporters who were booked in an FIR accusing them of attacking the returning officer’s (RO) office in Umerkot, have challenged the case in the Sindh High Court. The Hyderabad circuit bench on Wednesday issued notices to the respondents to submit their replies. Malhi and nine other petitioners who are nominated in the FIR maintained that the RO Teekum Malhi, the FIR’s complainant, is creating hindrances in the free and fair conduction of the local government polls. They sought protection against police harassment. On October 2, the PTI supporters were staging a sit-in demonstration in Umerkot when a police van allegedly ran over one of their supporters. The protesters allegedly assaulted the RO’s office in retaliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 8^th, 2015.