May 9 vandalism
LAHORE
Advocate Haider Majeed, a lawyer belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was handed over to the military for trial regarding his alleged involvement in the vandalism that took place at Jinnah House situated in Lahore on May 9. This development follows the recent transfer of Barrister Hassaan Niazi, the nephew of PTI chief, to the military on similar charges. Haider’s father, Muhammad Majeed, filed a petition in the Lahore High Court on August 19, seeking the recovery of his son, stating that Haider and Niazi were taken into custody on August 13.
The PTI claims Haider is the convener of the Insaf Students Federation’s (ISF) Punjab wing. During the hearing at the LHC, Lahore police presented a report stating that Mr Haider had been handed over to the military officials for trial. The report mentioned that both Niazi and Haider were arrested from Abbottabad’s Mirpur police station by Sarwar Road police on terrorism charges.
The police report included two letters from a military commanding officer, indicating that both individuals were handed over to the military for investigation and inquiry under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act 1952.
The case has been adjourned until Tuesday. Haider has previously been involved in legal cases, including one against former interior minister Rana Sanaullah and top police officials, and has represented PTI leader Asad Umar’s wife seeking her husband’s retrieval.
In his plea, Mr Majeed petitioned the court to direct the authorities to immediately produce his son and release him. He also asked for Haider’s detention to be declared unlawful and for an inquiry to be launched into the actions of the respondents.
The petitioner emphasised that Haider, as a law-abiding citizen and a professional lawyer, was commandeered without reason or any proper legal documentation. — DNA
