Anti Terrorism Court Multan headed by Zahoor-ul-Haq has ordered on Wednesday to release former Punjab minister and provincial vice president of PML-N Hafiz Iqbal Khakwani because police have declared him an innocent in its inquiry report into the triple murder in Luddan (Vehari) on land dispute. Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal Khakwani was arrested from his home by Vehari on Monday morning, March 21.
"Since Iqbal Khakwani is not involved in murder of three persons, nor any evidence of plotting or abetment was found as the inquiry report of Police revealed, there is no justification to keep him behind bars," the court observed.
According to details, Salahuddin Khakwani alias Sallu Khan, a close friend of Hafiz Iqbal Khan Khakwani won the case from High Court on February 24,2005 and he got the possession of the land on March 4, 2005 with the help of revenue staff and Police. They also occupied the home constructed on the disputed land and they housed their servants etc.
A review petition was filed by Sultan in High Court. Upon this the court suspended the implementation on the February 24 orders and served a notice on the Salahuddin etc to join the proceedings on March 31.
After getting the court orders, Latif son of Ramzan, Gulshan Abbas son of Zawar Hussain Joiya and Altaf Hussain son of Sultan went to the residence of Hafiz Iqbal Khakwani located in Multan city and requested him to ask Salahuddin to vacate the possession as per court's orders and await the Court's further order on March 31.
But, according to the complaint, he replied that he had sent armed men to the land and we would kill ten persons if it would be inevitable then we returned to home. On March 19, seventeen people armed with automatic weapons opened the fires and killed Zafar Ali alias Zafra Nole, Munir Ahmed son of Allah Yar, and Muhammad Iqbal and injured a number of people.