Former chief minister's arrest warrants: LHC takes suo motu notice of judges' orders

The Lahore High Court Chief Justice taking suo motu notice on orders by an additional district and sessions Judge who issued non-bailable warrants of former chief minister, chief secretary, opposition leaders and other high-ups of previous government said the news caused sensation and an impression of political victimisation to a section of society.
The CJ Syed Zahid Hussain also observed that section 435 of Cr.P.C provides that the High Court or any sessions judge may call for and examine the record of any proceedings before any inferior criminal court situateed within the local limits of its or his jurisdiction for the purpose of satisfying itself or himself as to the correctness and referred the matter to LHC judge Justice Maulvi Anwar-ul-Haq for its disposal in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, an accused in the said case, former vice chancellor King Edward Medical University doctor Mumtaz Hussain also approached the LHC against non-bailable warrants issued by the AD&SJ and the same will also be taken up along with the suo motu proceedings.
It may recalled that on Wednesday, the AD&SJ had issued non-bailable arrest warrants of eleven accused including former chief minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, former chief secretary Punjab Salman Siddiq, MMA's leader Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman and information secretary PPP, Punjab Farzana Raja.
The other accused are former additional secretary Haji Nawaz Khokhar, former member provincial assembly Saba Sadiq, former secretary health Javed Malik, former SSP Operations, Lahore Amir Zulfiqar and Professor Mumtaz Hussain of King Edward College.
The judge had ordered the Inspector General of Police Punjab to produce all the accused in court on July 25. Complainant Dr Maqsood Hussain said he was put on trial for raping a girl who had survived the 2005 earthquake but later cleared of charges. He said the respondents had levelled false allegations against him, damaging his reputation and career. He told the court to bring up a criminal case against all the accused and pay Rs 4800 million in damages.