The Attock district and sessions judge has directed the police not to erect hurdles and obstacles for preventing movement of lawyers and others in future, without legal authority, as it is against the law and citizens’ rights.

The judge, Chaudhry Muhammad Yunus, issued these directives on the petition of the president of the district bar association (DBA), Rana Afsar Ali Khan, filed against the Attock district police officer (DPO) and the Attock city police SHO.

This ‘roads closure case’ petition was filed through a seven- member council, comprising advocates Sadaqat Ali Khan, Sheikh Ehsanuddin, Bashir Paracha, Sheikh Hameed Anwar, Abid Altaf, Chaudhry Akhtar and Waqar Azeem.

The court, in its short verdict, told the DPO and SHO (respondents) that they were not above the law and should restrict their actions within the limits prescribed by rules and regulations, as creating unnecessary hurdles in the movement of any citizen without any legal validity, was a violation of the law. Therefore, they must avoid indulging in such illegal acts in future, the court added.

Earlier, on the notice of the court, the Attock city police SHO, Abdul Hafeez Ohlukh, appeared before the court to explain his position.

On the court’s query, he said the obstacles had been erected on the Attock DPO’s verbal orders, to restrict movement of lawyers from proceeding to the capital.