Pak: Terrorism & blasphemy charges in FIR filed against Sharifs

Lahore, Sept 2: Police on Tuesday included "terrorism and blasphemy" charges in the FIR registered against

Prime Minister

, his brother Shahbaz and senior officials for their alleged role in the killing of 14 supporters of fiery cleric Tahirul Qadri here.

On August 28, the police had registered murder and attempted murder cases against 21 persons including the Sharif brothers for their alleged role in the the June 17 operation.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, State Minister Abid Sher Ali (also a relative of Sharif), former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah and other senior police officers who took part in the June 17 operation were named in the FIR.

Fourteen people including two women were killed and 100 others suffered bullet injuries when police raided the house and offices of Pakistan Awami Tahreek's (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri in Model Town in a bid to remove barriers from there.

"Today police included four more sections in the FIR - 7 anti-terrorism act, 295-B (desecration of Quran), 365 (kidnapping) and 252 (tress passing)," Lahore police spokesman Niyab Haider told Press Trust of India.

He, however, did not comment on a question whether these clauses had been included on 'any pressure'.

"We have included these clauses on the request of the PAT," he said.

Earlier, Tahirul Qadri had rejected the FIR saying terrorism charges had not been included in it as the PAT's application had this section.

"Unless the Sharifs and others are booked under terrorism charges we will not accept this FIR," he had asserted.

The charges were brought for Sharifs' alleged role in killing Qadri's supporters

There was an impression that the government allowed to register the murder case against the Prime Minister and 20 others on the 'insistence' of the establishment. The inclusion of four more clauses appear to be a step to "please" Qadri and an effort to convince him to start the talks stalled on the FIR issue.

Three federal ministers (named in the FIR application) challenged the decision in the Lahore High Court but it upheld the lower court's decision.

Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said the police had registered the FIR against the prime minister and others on the Lahore High Court's order and not on any body's pressure.

PTI