JUDICIARY'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS IMRAN NOT A GOOD OMEN FOR CONSTITUTION: 'Enmity' against state intolerable.

LAHORE: The coalition government Monday strongly condemned attacks and torture of police and Rangers on the orders of Imran Khan and said strong action would be taken against those who had violated the law. The prime minister chaired the important meeting of the allied parties, which continued at the Prime Minister House for six hours. The leaders, in a joint statement, said the police and Rangers, who came under attack, were only implementing the court orders. During the meeting, the overall economic, political and internal, external situation of the country and peace and security were reviewed in detail. The participants were briefed in detail about the economy, revival of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme and measures taken by the prime minister for relief to the public. The relief measures included farmers' package, supply of free flour during Ramazan to poor families, scheme to provide special relief of Rs 50 in the price of petrol to the low wage and low income people, special CSS examination for youth across the country, promotion of solar energy, interest free and inexpensive loans for youth and rehabilitation of flood affectees and other programmes. The attendees appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for revival of the economy and the IMF programme and for providing maximum relief to the people despite difficult economic conditions and expressed complete confidence in his leadership. They said that it was matter of grave concern that violent and trained miscreants comprising persons belonging to banned organizations and carrying petrol bombs, sticks, catapults and weapons attacked officers and personnel of state institutions.

This behaviour in no way was constitutional, legal, democratic and political, they said adding taking up arms against state, targeting of officers and jawans, shooting at them, burning of vehicles, besieging the court premises and rioting, throwing of police vehicles in canals and stopping and torturing policemen who were on duty was an extreme of lawlessness, which nobody or state could tolerate.

The meeting expressed solidarity with officers and Jawans of state institutions and lauded their sense of duty and declared that no leniency would be shown and strict action according to law would be taken against those elements who broke the law.

"This is enmity...