Punjab govt to withdraw political cases against PMLN leaders

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to immediately withdraw the political cases framed against the main leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) during the PTI era.

Sources in the prosecution department told “Jang”. That 106 cases registered in 20 districts of Punjab including Layyah, Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Bahawalnagar including Minister for Intertior Rana Sanaullah and more than 150 PMLN other leaders. The Prosecution Department has sought reports and recommendations from the Deputy Commissioners to withdraw these cases.

Reports were sent earlier by the Deputy Commissioners but were returned by the Prosecution Department after raising objections. Sources said that under the Powers of Prosecutors in Section 10 of the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Act, 2006, under the Powers of Prosecutors, with the will of the court, all cases punishable up to three years by the District Public Prosecutor and cases punishable by up to 7 years by the District Public Prosecutor with the permission of the prosecutor general and all other cases involving terrorism provisions before the framing of the charge and also after (during the trial) the case can be withdrawn with the consent and permission of the government.

The court said that while the government is allowed to withdraw cases, it does not mean that the cases have ceased to exist.

If the case is withdrawn by the Punjab government, it will not be over. Several PMLN leaders said that cases have been registered against them with charges of murders.

The sources said that if someone wants to eliminate the case, he has to prove himself in the court of magistrate first under CrPC section 249A which is punishable by 3 years. If the witness is not present in the court, the case can be sent to the office under Section 265K of the CRPC.

The sources said that many leaders of PMLN have been booked in the political cases during the PTI era and many leaders are declared police fugitive.