Police raid houses of Tarar, Mashhood; fail to arrest them

LAHORE: Police raided the houses of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leaders — Attaullah Tarar and Rana Mashhood — in different areas of the provincial metropolis on Saturday. However, the police could not arrest them, as they were not present at their houses.

The raids were conducted in connection with an investigation being conducted into the alleged violence unleashed by the federal government on May 25 during the PTI’s long march.

The police conducted a raid at the house of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Atta Tarar in G-3 area of Johar Town. Police said the visit was for serving a notice on Atta Tarar for appearing before an investigation team, but he was not found there.

Following the raid, Tarar, in his tweet, called out Punjab Minister for Home and Prisons Hashim Dogar, saying what he wanted to prove by sending the police to his residence and harassing people. “Don’t go so far in defending the anti-national narrative,” he added.

Addressing Hashim Dogar, Atta said: “I thought you were a minister, but you turned out to be a very frivolous character. You sent police to a house where I lived 15 years ago; this is your state of affairs, and you are running the ministry.”

Rana Mashhood, in his statement, said the police raided his house in Muslim Town, but he was in Islamabad to attend a meeting, presided over by the prime minister. Condemning the police raid, the PMLN leader said the Punjab Police had come down to their heels.

Responding to Atta Tarar’s statement, Punjab Home Minister Hashim Dogar said: “Atta Tarar sir, come forward, the law is waiting for you.” He said today the police dropped a notice at Atta Tarar’s house in Lahore. He should appear before the police in Lahore if he was aware of the power of law.

It may be recalled that recently, the Lahore High Court ordered the Punjab Police not to harass PMLN leaders Atta Tarar, Malik Ahmad Khan and Rana Mashhood.