Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) sought on Wednesday replies from the relevant parties over a plea seeking the formation of a joint-investigation team (JIT) to probe alleged physical assaults and sexual harassment faced by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s female workers and other women in connection with protests that broke out across the country after former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9.

The petitioner, PTI Senator Zarqa Suharwardy, contends that the recent press conference of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah – wherein he claimed that the intelligence agencies have intercepted a call through which it transpired that a fake encounter and rape incident was to be staged by some people belonging to the PTI – has raised insecurity in the general public, and especially among female political workers.

The petitioner argues that Sanaullah’s press conference hinted at some obnoxious crimes towards female political workers and it is the worst kind of abuse of power and it must be investigated by higher authorities.

The petition states that after the ‘illegal arrest’ of the deposed prime minister, party leaders and workers exercised their fundamental right of peaceful protest but unfortunately some miscreants managed by ‘hidden forces’ caused damage to public property to fulfill their nefarious designs. Such acts by miscreants have already been condemned by PTI Chairperson Imran Khan and other leaders of the party.

Since then, however, the Punjab Police have been raiding the houses of PTI workers and leaders at odd hours of the night, without lady police officials present, contends the petition. According to Suharwardy, law enforcement officials have been horrifying inmates, humiliating women, smashing household articles, and taking into custody family members where they fail to arrest the “wanted” person. The petitioner argues that this has not happened even in the worst eras of martial law.

She prayed the court to issue directives to save the lives, dignity and honour of women at any cost. Suharwardy contends that since May 9, PTI workers, especially its women leaders and activists, have been victims of the worst kind of harassment, humiliation, physical torture and violation of their dignity as well as persecution by the state.

She accused the Punjab administration of committing human rights violations and pushing the situation towards a point of no return, reducing Pakistan into a Banana Republic.

Suharwardy has named the Punjab law and parliamentary affairs secretary, Punjab IGP, home secretary and the government of Pakistan as respondents. She contends that there is plenty of evidence on record on print, electronic and social media in which male police officials can be seen physically dragging PTI’s female workers. Women taken into custody have been tortured and treated in inhumane ways, maintains the petition. Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi accepted the plea and sought replies from relevant parties.