A court in Lahore Cantonment on Friday issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 12 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in the case of hooliganism in the Punjab Assembly (PA) during the election for Punjab chief minister, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Judicial Magistrate Cantonment Courts Mudassir Hayat issued the warrants.  

Those whose warrants were issued were Ataullah Tarar, Sardar Ahmad Owais Laghari, Mirza Javed, Saiful Mulook Khokhar, Pir Khizar Hayat, Raja Sagheer Ahmad, Abdur Rauf, Pir Ashraf Rasool, Bilal Farooq, Rana Manan, Malik Ghulam Habib Awan and Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan. 

Case had been registered against these PML-N leaders at Lahore’s Qila Gujjar Singh police station.

Police raid Rana Mashhood’s home and Saiful Mulook’s Khokhar Palace:

Later, police raided Rana Mashhood’s home. But since he was not at home at that time, the police team had to return empty-handed. 

Punjab Police also raided Khokhar Palace, PML-N leader Saiful Mulook Khokhar’s home at Lahore’s Johar Town locality, but he was not there. 

Reacting to the police raid, Khokhar said that the Punjab government had now started using third degree tactics to intimidate its opponents. 

Similarly, the police also carried out a raid on PML-N MPA Javed Mirza’s office at Raiwind, but he was not at his office either.   

Hamza condemns police raids:

Meanwhile, Hamza Shehbaz, PML-N leader and son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the issuance of warrants for the arrest party leaders as well as raids on their homes. “Raids on PML-N leaders’ homes is reflective of dictatorial mindset of the police,” he said, adding, “Such tactics by the provincial government will fail to deter the party leaders as well as workers.”   

Reporter: Umar Aslam   

Reporter: Jamaluddin Jamali