PML-N leaders have approached Islamabad High Court (IHC) to seek protective bail after arrest warrants were issued against them by a Lahore court in a case pertaining to riots inside Punjab Assembly.
According to the details, the PML-N leaders who approached the high court included Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar, Rana Mashhud, Raja Sagheer, and others.
Earlier, PTI backed Punjab government decided to arrest 12 PML-N leaders, including SAPM Attaullah Tarar in a case related to the ruckus created by them in the Punjab Assembly.
Read more: Arrest warrants issued for 12 PML-N leaders including SAPM Atta Tarar
The investigation officer sought arrest warrants for the PML-N leaders as they had repeatedly refused to show up for the investigation despite the case being registered against them.
Arrest warrants were issued for Attaullah Tarar, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Awais Leghari, Muhammad Mirza Javed, Malik Saif ul Malook Khokhar, Peer Khizer Hayat Shah Khagga, Raja Sagheer Ahmed, Mian Abdul Rauf, Pir Muhammad Ashraf Rasool, Bilal Farooq Tarar, and Rana Mannan Khan.
Seeking revenge?
Furthermore, the Punjab police raided the residences of at least a dozen PML-N MPAs in several cities of Punjab after warrants were issued for their arrest. However, they escaped arrest.
Reacting to the development, PML-N Vice President and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz condemned the arrest warrants and said that the raids conducted by the police at the residence of the PML-N leaders depicted a “dictatorial” mindset.
“This fascist government cannot break the spirit of the Muslim League through their mischievous actions. The police raids at Mashood’s home violated the privacy of his house,” the PML-N leader said.
مسلم لیگ ن کے سینئر رہنماؤں اور اراکین اسمبلی کے وارنٹ گرفتاری اور چھاپے قابل مذمت اور آمرانہ سوچ کے عکاس ہیں۔ عمران نیازی کی ایما پر فسطائی حکومت کے اوچھے ہتھکنڈوں سے مسلم لیگ ن کے حوصلے نہیں ٹوٹیں گے۔ایسی انتقامی سوچ ہماری جمہوری روح کا بال تک بیکا نہیں کر سکتی۔
— Hamza Shahbaz Sharif (@HamzaSS) August 19, 2022
He said that the Punjab government is using the police for revenge, adding that PTI Chairman Imran Khan is using the provincial government to harass the PML-N leadership.
Read more: WATCH: Atta Tarar makes insulting hand gesture on leaving Punjab Assembly
Pertinent to mention, in April during the Punjab Chief Minister election, PTI, PML-Q, and PML-N leaders created a ruckus in the PA. PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar, who was the home minister during the three-month stint of the PML-N government in Punjab, had spearheaded the registration of cases against the PTI and PML-Q lawmakers for their alleged involvement in hooliganism in the Punjab Assembly.
However, now with PTI and PML-Q governing Punjab, it seems the tables have turned and PML-N men are being hunted.