LHC suspends lower court order of registering FIR against Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday suspended a sessions court order of registering cases against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and others over police action against PTI workers during the party’s march to Islamabad, ARY News reported.

A single bench of the high court, comprised of Justice Sarfaraz Doggar, on the plea of police suspended the lower court’s decision and issued notices to parties for their reply in the next hearing of the case.

Petitioner Constable Muhammad Aslam pleaded to the court that the sessions court issued orders for registration of FIR against the facts of the case. He pleaded to the court to declare the lower court’s order as null and void.

A Lahore district and sessions court on June 1, ordered registration of cases against Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, DIG-Operations Lahore and CCPO over police action against the PTI rallies during party’s recently held ‘Azadi March’ towards Islamabad.

Advocate Haider Majeed had filed application in the Lahore sessions court, seeking registration of FIRs against the interior minister and Punjab police officials under Section-166(1), 352 and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Additional Sessions Judge Mian Mudasar Umar ordered registration of criminal cases against Rana Sanaullah, CCPO Lahore and DIG Operations under Section-166, 352 and 427.

On May 25, in clash between Lahore police and PTI workers marching to Islamabad, police resorted to tear gas shelling and baton-charged in an effort to disperse PTI procession.

According to reports, the government rounded up several PTI leaders and workers in a crackdown.

According to a spokesperson of the Punjab Police, three policemen also died in clashes and raids on PTI workers’ houses.