The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday scolded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for ‘overburdening’ the judiciary after voluntarily surrendering for the arrest during Jail Bharo Tehreek. Justice Shahram Sarwar passes these remarks while hearing the pleas of Ijaz Chaudhry, Zain Qureshi and others for the recovery of party leaders that voluntarily surrendered themselves to the law enforcers under ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek.’ At the outset of the hearing, the LHC judge asked what do you want from us?, when PTI leaders voluntarily surrendered themselves for arrests. Police were not arresting PTI leaders and workers but they forced themselves into prison van – the comment cracked a laugh in the courtroom.

First, PTI leaders surrendered voluntarily for the arrest and now you are here to put pressure on the court,” Justice Shahram Sarwar remarked. The lawyers of the petitioners pleaded with the LHC to seek a report from the government on the arrest. During the hearing, Zain Qureshi said police had arrested his father. He sought orders from authorities to allow him to meet his father. At which, Justice Chaudhry said he should go to Chairing Cross – the point in Lahore city from where the movement was begun – if he wanted to meet his father. Later, the court issued notices to the respondents and sought reply from the government till Feb 27.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP