Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa on Saturday dismissed Doctors Hospital General Manager (GM) Ziaul Hassan Bokhari’s application seeking exemption from personal appearance in the Aimane Malik murder case. The application was filed under Section 540 of the Criminal Procedure Code submitting that being general manager, he has to look after affairs of the hospital due to which he might be exempted from appearance in the trial court. Advocate Ali Hassan Rizvi represented Zia but Justice Maqbool, after hearing arguments of both sides, dismissed the petition. Azhar Siddique, opposing the application, argued that all accused in the case are deliberately avoiding the process of law and because of their acts, charges against all accused have not been framed yet. He said that all citizens are equal according to law and had to be treated like ordinary citizens without any exemption.
Siddique said that the poor have to face all trials but white collared people are allowed to take law into their hands.
The court has framed charges against Bokhari, Dr Hafiz Sanaullah and nurse Fahimda, whereas, charges have not been framed yet against Dr Ghazanfar Ali Shah, Dr Javaid Asghar, Dr Tariq Rafique Khan, Dr Mubeen Afzal and Dr Ghulam Yaseen. Dr Sandeep Kumar and Mubashir are still absconders. Dr Ghazanafar, Dr Asghar, Dr Tariq, Dr Sandeep and others were challaned by the Lahore senior superintendent of police (SSP) Investigation on directions of the LHC and the trail is pending before Sahir Islam, judicial magistrate, Model Town, Lahore in case FIR number 982/2010, offences under section 322/319, 201/109, 419/420, 148/149.
Doctors Hospital GM’s appearance exemption plea dismissed
