Rawalpindi police refute reports of firing on accountability judge Mohammad Bashir’s vehicle

Rawalpindi police on Wednesday refuted media reports claiming that accountability judge Mohammad Bashir’s vehicle had been fired at.

Earlier, some TV channels had reported that the judge was unhurt after his vehicle was fired at within the limits of the Airport police station. However, Rawalpindi police spokesperson Sajjadul Hassan told Dawn.com that the force had not received information about any such incident.

He said an individual had fired gunshots in the air near PAF Chowk. He said the suspect had stepped out of his own car after having an argument with his family, before firing in the air.

The police spokesperson said that officials had immediately arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect. Hassan said the suspect was taken to the Airport police station where legal proceedings were initiated against him.

“The youth is addicted to ice (meth),” the police spokesperson said, adding that he was also under the influence during the time of his arrest.

“The matter concerns aerial firing by a suspect after an argument with his family and is not a case of firing at some important individual,” the spokesperson said.

Judge Bashir is the longest-serving judge of the accountability court of Islamabad and is attaining the age of superannuation next year. He has presided over several high-profile cases concerning the country’s top political leadership.

He had convicted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family in the Avenfield reference in 2018. The judge is also presiding over the Toshakhana and Al-Qadir Trust cases against ex-premier Imran Khan.