Petition filed in LHC seeking damages for mob violence

A petition seeking damages for the destruction of public property by protests led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Saturday.

The protests had broken out across the country after the Supreme Court’s verdict on October 30 acquitting Asia Bibi, a Christian woman previously condemned to death on blasphemy charges.

The petition submitted by citizen Abdullah Malik states that the TLP protests have caused considerable damage to government and public property.

It added that the protection of the lives and wealth of the citizen was the first responsibility of the government and added that not doing so had violated citizens’ fundamental rights.

The petition asked the court to issue orders to the Punjab government to compensate for all damage caused to citizens.

Separately, two first information reports (FIRs) were registered at an Islamabad police station against mob violence at Taramari Chowk in the capital city.

The FIRs were registered against more than a hundred people, of which 20 are members of religiopolitical parties.

Those named in the FIRs have been accused of injuring police officials and violating Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which was imposed in the capital city.