LAHORE - Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court on Thursday granted protective bail to Punjab Secretary Prosecution Rana Maqbool Ahmad, also former inspector general police Sindh, who is nominated in case registered under the allegations of torturing President Asif Ali Zardari in year 1999 in police custody by cutting his tongue with a broken glass. Rana Maqbool has been declared proclaimed offender and facing warrant arrest in the same case by a court in Karachi as such he moved the court to obtain protective bail to be able to appear before the court without being arrested. The LHC granted him protective bail for two weeks. Artillery Maidan Karachi police on Feb 9, 2005, had registered an FIR against ex-senator Mian Saif-ur-Rehman, his brother Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, former IGP Sindh Rana Maqbool (petitioner), former DIG Farooq Amin and the then SP Central Jail Karachi Najaf Mirza on the charges of torturing Asif Ali Zardari in 1999. The FIR was registered under sections 324, 109, 120, and 34 of Pakistan Penal Code. Mr Maqbool through his counsel pleaded in the petition he has been implicated in the said case without any reason and ground. He said the case was based on political victimisation and carried malafide intentions as the FIR was lodged with a delay of six years after the alleged incident took place. He said he had appeared in courts to defend his position, however, a court of Karachi declared him proclaimed offender and issued warrants against him. He requested the court to allow him protective bail so that he could appear in the court of Karachi on his own. Press advertisement sought in fake degree case Justice Mamoonur Rashid of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday sought press advertisement to seek appearance of PML-N MPA from Bahawalapur Safdar Gull. The Court passed this order on a petition filed by Imran Ahmad finding respondent not complying with the order for his appearance before the court. The court was informed that the respondent is intentionally avoiding to accept the court notice. The petitioner has questioned the academic qualification of the respondent contending he was holding a bogus graduation degree so he may be declared disqualified to hold membership in the assembly. Meanwhile Justice Ijazul Ahsan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) declined to hear the petition moved earlier by Seyd Javed Husnain against his disqualification as MNA which took on account of his alleged fake degree. The judge referred the matter to the Chief Justice Lahore High Court expressing the reasons for not hearing the plea.