Court orders Rana Sanaullah booked for police ‘torture’

Also orders CCPO Lahore, DIG Operations booked under Sections 166, 352 and 427

LAHORE: A Lahore district and sessions court on Wednesday ordered registration of cases against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police over alleged police torture on PTI’s workers during the party’s recently held “Azadi March” towards Islamabad.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Mian Mudassir Umar Bodla passed the order on an application filed by lawyer-petitioner Haider Majeed. The judge also directed registration of an FIR against Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Operations on the same plea. “Proceed in accordance with the law,” the judge directed the Station House Officer concerned.

The lawyer submitted that the police tortured the lawyers as well as the PTI workers on the day of long march towards Islamabad. He said senior police officials, including the CCPO and the DIG, were also equally responsible. He said the police detained the lawyers and launched a crackdown against the protesters, who had come out to hold a protest-their legitimate right. He said the participants were peaceful but despite all that police fired tear gas, shattered the windows and windscreens of the vehicles and blocked the city.

He asked the court to order the police to register a case against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the CCPO and the DIG (Operations) under Section 166(1), 352 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). After hearing arguments of the petitioner, the judge ordered the police to book Rana Sanaullah, CCPO Lahore and DIG Operations under Section-166, 352 and 427. A large number of pro-PTI lawyers had gathered outside the courtroom during the case proceedings and chanted slogans. Advocate Hassan Niazi, a nephew of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, was also among them.

“Wukala kay jo khelaf hain, ghaddar hain ghaddar hain [all those who are against the lawyers are traitors,” chanted the lawyers, expressing solidarity with each other. They also conveyed a message to the authorities concerned that they were united. On May 25, the day PTI had launched a long march, a clash erupted between the police and the PTI workers. The police fired tear gas, beat the workers and the lawyers who were taking part in the march and broke the windows and windscreens of vehicles.