At least 11 police officials, including the Station House Officer (SHO) of Lahore’s Sarwar Road police station, have been booked after a raid mistakenly targeted the residence of Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman Awan, Punjab Police said on Tuesday.
Police said that the officers were acting on intelligence about suspects believed to be at a neighbouring property when they entered the attorney general’s home by mistake.
A First Information Report (FIR), the document used to formally register a criminal case, states that the officials exceeded their lawful authority during the operation. Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against them through the issuance of charge sheets.
According to the FIR, the police team arrived at the residence at about 6pm on July 27. The complaint alleges that the SHO and other personnel climbed over the main gate before entering the property.
The attorney general was not at home when the raid took place. His driver, Irfan, said that only household staff were present at the residence during the operation. He alleged that police harassed the employees and damaged flower pots outside the house.
Irfan further stated that the officers removed the property’s CCTV system. He claimed the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) was later returned after footage of the raid had been deleted.
According to the driver, Awan was attending a meeting at the time of the incident and returned to the residence after being informed of the raid.
Punjab Police has said that the operation had been launched following information about suspects at a neighbouring house, but the raiding party mistakenly entered the attorney general’s residence instead.
The FIR alleges that the officers acted beyond the scope of their legal powers while conducting the operation, prompting both criminal and departmental action.
Meanwhile, the SHO of Sarwar Road police station has obtained interim bail from a court.
Police have confirmed that further legal and departmental proceedings against the officials are continuing.
