PHC seeks details of cases against Punjab MPA

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the federal and Punjab governments, National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation Agency to provide details about cases registered against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and Member Provincial Assembly Mian Mohammad Aslam Iqbal within seven days.

A division bench of the PHC comprising Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah heard the petition.

Ali Azim advocate represented the petitioner while Additional Attorney General Sanaullah appeared for the federal government.

The petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that his client was a leader of the PTI and MPA of the Punjab Assembly. He said that the petitioner had been falsely implicated in multiple cases after May 9 and 10 protest demonstrations and had been charged in multiple cases registered in Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad.

He pleaded that he wanted to appear in the relevant courts but he apprehended his arrest before doing so., therefore, he should be provided the details about cases against him.

However, the AAG objected to the plea and stated that the petitioner belonged to Lahore but he had approached the PHC instead of moving the Lahore High Court for his cases. Upon this, Justice Shakeel Ahmad said the petitioner had sought information about his cases registered by the government against him. “Why the cases against the petitioner were being kept clandestine. There is no issue to give him details about his cases,” he remarked.

The court was told that the petitioner could come as there was a marriage ceremony of his daughter when the court asked about his presence in the court.

The lawyer said that the PHC had earlier granted protective bail to the PTI leader in 18 cases. He requested the court that law enforcement agencies should be restrained from arresting him in any other case. Upon this, Justice Sahibzada Asadullah asked the counsel that in which cases the petitioner should not be arrested.

The lawyer argued that they had no information about the cases against his client and said that the court should issue directives to the government not to arrest the petitioner till the submission of details of cases.