Islamabad: After Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his displeasure in Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, regarding registration of sedition case against the leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the main component of ant anti-government bloc—Pakistan Democratic Movement— both the federal and the Punjab governments have distanced themselves from the case as well as the complainant.
The applicant, a resident of Lahore’s Shahdra Town, Badar Rasheed filed a complaint with the Shahdra police to register a case against former Prime Minister and the supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif and other leaders of the party for ‘conspiring’ against the country and the state institutions.
In his complaint while referring to Nawaz Sharif’s two speeches of Sept 20 and Oct 1 respectively to the PML-N’s committee meetings, he alleged their purpose was to isolate Pakistan in front of the international community.
He added that Nawaz Sharif was trying to incite people against the democratically-elected government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Sedition clauses invoked in FIR
In the FIR besides other clauses, the police have invoking clauses of ‘sedition,’ ‘invoking people against the state institutions,’ and ‘condemning the creation of the country and advocating the abolishment of its sovereignty.’
The FIR also names party leaders Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Pervaiz Rashid, Ataullah Tarar and others that participated in the PML-N’s Central Executive Committee and Central Working Committee meetings held last week.
Complainant with a police record
Interestingly, the Shahdra Police’s Station House Officer (SHO) instead of examining the application or seeking directions from the high-ups instantly registered the case that too on the complaint of a man, who himself has a police record of facing charges of attempted murder and possessing illegal weapons.
He has also a case against him in Anarkali Police Station of Lahore for assault on a police officer.
Among those nominated in the FIR is the name of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir’s Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider that has put the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government in an awkward situation.
Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan in a statement made it clear that provincial government would strike off the name of Raja Raja Farooq Haider from the FIR at the investigation stage. However, investigation against others nominated in the case will proceed as per law.
He however, clarified the Usman Buzdar government had no role in registration of FIR as police registered it on a complaint of a citizen.
No role of Imran-govt in FIR
While clearing the federal government’s position on sedition case, PM’s Special Assistant Shahbaz Gill in a tweet reiterated the government’s stance that it had no role in the registration of the FIR.
Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar also clarified in TV talk, Badar Rasheed’s pictures were not only with him but also with other PTI and PML-N leaders, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid and some members of the establishment. “This does not mean I have any link with him as politicians meet many people every day,” he clarified.
Meanwhile, the Lahore Police in a statement clarified, “Various speculations were being made in the media regarding the case”. “In fact, the case was registered on the request of a citizen, Badar Rasheed, on which Shahdara police registered a case under the section of the law.”
The case will be investigated as per merit and justice will be done, it further said.
A deliberate move
On the other hand, the PML-N leaders see registration of the case against the opposition leadership a deliberate move of the PTI government to disrupt the protest rallies in the coming days.
PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb said the registration of the case was proof of the fact that the “selected” government was “panicking”. “Voices fighting for the truth and for the people’s rights can’t be suppressed by such false and baseless cases,” she said.
A party leader while talking to Gulf News on Wednesday said such a case was possible only under the controversial police chief Umer Sheikh who is already facing public criticism for poor performance and controversial statements in Motorway gang rape case.
