Lahore (Web Desk): The Punjab government on Tuesday moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Dr Yasmin Rashid's release by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in the case related to May 9 attack on Jinnah House (Corps Commanders House) in Lahore.
The former Punjab health minister was initially detained in connection with the events of May 9 under the Maintenance of Public Order.
The LHC had ordered her release on May 13, but she was re-arrested merely hours later in three more cases pertaining to May 9, including the Jinnah House attack case.
On Saturday, an ATC had discharged her from the case along observing that she was summoned in the case based on the disclosure of a co-suspect, which had no evidentiary value in the eyes of the law.
"Perusal of record reveals that neither Dr Yasmin Rashid is nominated in the FIR nor involved through supplementary statement and she was summoned in the case on the disclosure of a co-accused which has no evidentiary value in the eye of the court," the order had said.
But only a day later, Punjab police said it would be approaching the LHC against the ATC’s order of discharging Rashid in the case.
The Punjab government filed a petition before the LHC, challenging the ATC’s order to release the former health minister.
The provincial government, in its petition contend that the trial court made the decision to discharge Dr Rashid from the case in contradiction with the facts.
The government has requested the LHC to declare the ATC’s order for release of the former health minister “null and void”, arguing that she led the mob that attacked the Jinnah House on May 9.
Besides Dr Yasmeen Rashid, the ATC judge who ordered that she be discharged from the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Investigation), who is also the convener of the joint investigation team formed to probe the case, and inveshave been nominated as respondents in the petition.
The plea will be taken up by the LHC on Wednesday.