Daily Times

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar Sunday summoned Hamza Shehbaz and Ayesha Ahad Malik, the woman who claims to be the spouse of Shehbaz Sharif’s son, to the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry today (Monday).

During the hearing of Ayesha Ahad’s case at the top court’s Lahore Registry, her counsel said, “Despite the fact that a case has been registered, no arrests have been made.”

To this, the CJP remarked, “If Hamza Shehbaz is in town then he should appear before the apex court’s Lahore Registry tomorrow.”

On June 3, a case was registered against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza and five others following orders from the Supreme Court.

Justice Nisar had ordered the Punjab Police inspector general to register a case by midnight against those allegedly involved in abusing Ayesha Ahad.

Ayesha Ahad had registered a complaint against Hamza and Shehbaz Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Imran.

In the complaint, she accused Hamza of torture, issuing threats to life and usurpation of possessions, including jewellery, mobile phone and her purse. Ayesha Ahad had alleged that people sent by Hamza forcefully took her laptop, nikahnama (marriage deed) and other documents.

Justice Nisar had taken notice on Ayesha Ahad’s complaint after she approached him against the delay in her cases and “threats” to her and her daughter’s lives.

A first information report (FIR) was registered on June 2, against Hamza and five others at the Islampura Police Station. Charges against the accused included violence, robbery, usurpation, vandalism, threats to life and attempted rape.

Apart from Hamza, others accused in the case comprise former inspector general (IG) Rana Maqbool, Zulfiqar Cheema, Inspector Ateeq Dogar, and Imran Yousuf, as per Captain (r) Amin Wains, the capital city police officer (CCPO) for Lahore.

A police official said the case had been filed under the Pakistan Penal Code Sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 337 (hurt and injuries), and 354 (molestation with sexual motive), as well as the Code of Criminal Procedure Sections 149 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) and 511 (attempting to commit punishable offences).

Ayehsa Ahad’s prior complaint, filed in 2011, was also made part of the latest FIR.

Hamza, however, had rebutted the claims, saying Ayesha Ahad’s accusations were baseless and that she had made the same accusations in 2014 in the court of law but was unable to present any evidence.

Published in Daily Times, June 11^th 2018.