HARIPUR Nov 7: The court of judicial magistrate here on Tuesday issued notices to the District Police Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police and four Station House Officers for personal appearance on November 10, in a criminal petition filed against them by the secretary-general of District Bar Association, Haripur.

Asad Saeed Khan, general secretary of the District Bar Association, Haripur, has filed two different petitions against Haripur DPO Attiqullah Khan Wazir, DSP Headquarters Naseem Afzal, City SHO Tariq Khan, Additional SHO City Rehmnawaz Khan, Khalabat Township SHO Sarwar Khan and Kotnajibullah SHO Mursaleen.

The applicant while praying action against the officers under section 337, 452, 504, 506, 427, 148, 149 and 379 of the Pakistan Penal Code contended that on November 5, police contingents raided the district bar hall, offices of lawyers and picked up over 19 lawyers from the court premises.

The police broke into the offices of lawyers, torn apart their books, he said, adding that again on November 6, the lawyers were returning to the court after taking out a peaceful procession against the imposition of the emergency rule, suspension of the Constitution and arrest of lawyers across the country, the local police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling, leaving five lawyers severely injured.

The police were also accused of snatching wallets, cell phones of lawyers and depriving them of medical treatment.

The complainant also recorded his statement before the court under section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court of judicial magistrate, Miss Javeria Sartaj, issued notice to the respondents asking them to ensure their presence before the court on November 10.

The court also directed the Medical Officer of the Central Prison of Haripur for submission of detailed medical report of all five lawyers who were beaten up by the police on November 6.

After the imposition of the emergency rule and strikes by the lawyers, the Haripur police have arrested 24 protesting lawyers and three political activists of different parties under section 3 of the MPO.

Meanwhile, while jointly addressing a news conference, the general secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Abbottabad chapter, Javed Qureshi, former president of the district bar association Javed Tanoli and Waheed Azhar have condemned the police brutality against lawyers and vowed to continue their struggle not only against Khakis but also the police.

They announced the decision of not appearing any judge of the high court who had taken oath under the PCO.