Replies sought on PML-N plea

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought replies from Punjab Home secretary and inspector general of police on a petition moved by the Pakistan Muslim League-N against the alleged non-cooperative attitude of the police and not providing record of the cases registered against its leaders and workers ahead of arrival of its supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Safdar at Lahore airport.

Advocate Naseer Ahmad Bhutta appeared on behalf of his party workers and stated that the police refused to provide record of the FIRs registered against the workers and leaders of the party.

He alleged that the police had also been harassing the party’s leaders/workers. He said not only the police registered cases against the party workers but also inserted sections of anti-terrorism law in them in violation of the law.

The counsel pointed out that the party’s Lahore chapter president, Pervez Malik, approached the police officials for the provisions of the copies of the FIRs registered against the workers but they did not cooperate with them.

Calling the conduct of the police against the law, the counsel requested the court to order the police to provide complete record of the FIRs to the party workers. Acting Chief Justice Muhammad Anwarul Haq adjourned the hearing for Friday (today) and issued notices to the home secretary and the provincial police chief.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N’s candidate for PP-160, Lahore, Yasin Sohail filed a petition in the Lahore High Court for the provision of certified details about the polling stations, polling booths and polling staff.

He pleaded that the details he sought from the Election Commission of Pakistan were required to be delivered to every candidate to dispel the impression of possible rigging in the upcoming election.