LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed her regrets to a police officer for facing humiliation at the hands of a ruling party member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) for performing his duty.

The chief minister issued a show-cause notice to MPA Malik Waheed Awan, who forced the cop to apologise to him in public. She also issued a show-cause to MPA Uzma Kardar for being highlighted in the media for exercising undue influence in a criminal case registered at the Model Town Police Station. Maryam sought a reply from Uzma in three working days.

Maryam met the trainee Sub Inspector, Yasir Naseeb, in the presence of Lahore CCPO Bilal Siddique Kamiana. While she issued a show cause notice to the MPA, she also directed the CCPO to immediately cancel the transfer orders of the trainee sub-inspector.

The CM expressed her regret at PMLN MPA’s behaviour with the trainee sub-inspector and said she was very ashamed of the incident.

Maryam asked the sub-inspector to recall the incident on which he told her that while doing a routine patrol in Shadipura, a vehicle with tainted windows was spotted and stopped for checking.

The sub-inspector said a man came out of the vehicle and introduced himself as the MPA of the area and asked him why he stopped him for checking. The police official said he told the MPA that it was his duty to check vehicles and he was only performing his duty.

He told the CM that the MPA said that his self-esteem was hurt in his constituency and asked for a public apology from him for stopping and checking him and his car. “Yasir, you have to do your duty in the future, you should not be afraid of anyone,” Maryam Nawaz Sharif said, asking him never to apologise to anyone for fulfilling his duty.

Maryam appreciated the trainee cop and said that it was his job and he has done that well. She further said be it an MPA, MNA, or chief minister, no one was greater than the law. She also said that he should not be discouraged for what he has done.

The CM said she has given a show cause notice to the MPA and directed the cop to continue his duties responsibly.

She also inquired about the transfer of Yasir Naseeb from the CCPO. “If there is any such incident, do not take any action without asking me,” Maryam warned the CCPO, and said if the MPA had a complaint, he should have come to her, and only after an inquiry any action would have been taken.

Maryam said: “No one is above the law and we all should respect the law more to set an example for others.” “Yasir, you should not be discouraged. Very well done. You should do your duty in the same way. Do not do anything wrong or unjust to anyone, and do your duty with responsibility,” the chief minister told the trainee cop.

Earlier, after the incident, MPA Malik Waheed Awan released a video message on social media, alleging that the police deliberately stopped his vehicle, attempting to ridicule him and his supporters in public in the name of search.

He also claimed that the police high-ups termed the incident as a misunderstanding. He said he was a law-abiding citizen and always respected the police. He said the command of the police was in very good hands.

The MPA alleged that the trainee sub-inspector was a strong supporter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and in the past, he had shared a post about PMLN leaders on Facebook. He added that other pro-PTI posts can also be found on the Facebook page of Yasir.

Malik Waheed further claimed the trainee sub-inspector purposely stopped him to ridicule him in public. He said the windows of his cars were not tinted and the trainee sub-inspector had no reason to check his and his supporter’s vehicles during his public rally.

Answering a question about the show-cause notice issued to him, he said he will submit his written reply with all the facts and figures.