Pakistan court orders filing of another murder case against Nawaz Sharif

SLAMABAD: A Pakistani court today ordered registration of a fresh murder case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and 10 others over the death of three protestors during the anti-government demonstrations last month.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan had sought the court's intervention for launching of the case after police allegedly refused to register FIR against Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif, interior minister Nisar Ali Khan, defence minister Khawaja Asif, railway minister Saad Rafique, Islamabad police chief, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and four others.

PTI's counsel Qazi Nazeef had requested the court to order police to register the murder case.

After hearing the arguments, Additional Sessions Judge Shahrukh Arjumand ordered the Secretariat Police Station to register murder case against Sharif and 10 others.

Earlier, an FIR was registered against Sharif and his ministers in the same case on the complaint of cleric Tahirul Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

Three persons were killed and over 500 others injured in clashes between police and supporters of Khan and Qadri last month during demonstrations against Sharif.

Supporters of Khan and Qadri are agitating since August 14, demanding Sharif's ouster.

The PTI chief wants Sharif's ouster over alleged rigging in last year's general election which his party lost, while Qadri wants to bring a revolution in the country. But Sharif has refused to quit.

Sharif had already been implicated last month in connection with the death of 14 workers of PAT during a clash with police in Lahore.

Pakistan Supreme Court yesterday admitted a petition against Sharif seeking his disqualification for allegedly lying in parliament over asking the army to mediate with anti-government protesters.