KARACHI - A local court of Karachi on Monday rejected an application seeking registration of a counter FIR against Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, pertaining to violent protests in Lyari during his election campaign.

An additional district and sessions judge (South) has issued order on an application filed by Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) leader Mehfooz Yar Khan, who moved with an application seeking direction to register an FIR against the PPP chairman and other party leaders over an alleged attack on the protesters in his constituency on July 1. In the last hearing, the court had reserved the judgment on the application after hearing final arguments from both the sides.

In his concluding arguments, Advocate Javed Chattari, who was counseling on behalf of Mehfooz Yar Khan, pleaded the court to issue direction to the Kalri police to register an FIR against the PPP leadership.

The applicant’s counsel had argued that there was a peaceful protest held in Hingorobad, Lyari by the residents against non-supply of water, during a rally of the PPP chief in the constituency, when his party private security guards pelted them with stones.

Advocate Liaquat Ali, who represented the PPP leaders, opposed the application arguing that the applicant was not aggrieved in any incident during which he was neither present nor was he a resident of the area.

He further argued that none of the PPP leaders or workers had attacked any of the protesters, who on the contrary had pelted their vehicles with stones, damaging them and also forcing closure of the shops in the area.

He added that none of the residents had either approached the police or had filed an affidavit in the trial court to claim that he or she had been hurt or was aggrieved in the incident.

PPP counsel Liaquat Ali Khan said that Bilawal Bhutto was leading his party rally during election campaign some agitators from Hingorobad area started chanting slogans against the PPP pelted with stones on Bilawal Bhutto. He said that the police personnel, who were on security duty managed the situation but three PPP workers were injured.

Kalri police had launched an FIR against some alleged miscreants pertaining attacking on Bilawal Bhutto caravan in Lyari on July 1, and nominated MQM candidate from PS-107 Rafiq Hangura, UC counselor Kabeer Hungoro, Naveed and Ahmed and others.

According to the prosecution, the accused had blocked the road to prevent the PPP leaders and workers from moving forward, the miscreants also reacted negatively and in order to create fear and terror among the people.

They started throwing stones and attacked the Bilawal Bhutto’s caravan with sticks and stones as a result, some people including Yahya Jamil, Amir Baloch and Constable Mohammad Afzal got hurt.