Dance party viral video: court summons Kasur DPO in person

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned the Kasur District Police Officer (DPO) to appear in person on April 14 in a contempt of court case regarding the leaking of a video on social media after the arrest of boys and girls at a dance party at a farmhouse in Kasur.

LHC Judge Justice Ali Zia Bajwa heard the contempt plea filed by citizen Vishal Shakir against the DPO Kasur. Advocate Mian Ali Haider appeared in court on behalf of the petitioner.

Advocate Haider argued that he had attached material related to the Kasur video scandal with the petition, but the registrar’s office had not allowed it to be included.

At this, Justice Bajwa remarked that the supporting material should be attached and the petition should be heard along with any objections.

The government counsel told the court that he had seen the video and a report could be sought. He called the incident “deeply distressing.” He noted that the arrested persons were exposed to the entire world.

Justice Bajwa remarked that the future of those individuals had been ruined and said that a notice should also be issued to the prosecutor general in this case.

He reiterated that the court had already issued an order barring the exposure of suspects to the media and said that no government official was allowed to record or upload videos of arrested individuals to social media.

The court summoned the Kasur DPO in person on April 14 regarding the viral video incident.

The petition stated that the LHC has explicitly prohibited filming of individuals in custody. It also called for contempt proceedings against the DPO Kasur, the DSP and the SHO concerned.

On April 6, police raided a farmhouse in Kasur district and arrested 25 women and 30 men over allegations of ‘vulgar dancing’, use of loudspeakers, and drug consumption.

Following the incident, the Kasur police arrested an investigation officer and a sub-inspector and suspended the local Station House Officer (SHO) and a police security official at Mustafaabad Police Station.

Police had carried out the raid late on Friday night, April 4, near Pakki Haveli village, arresting 55 people allegedly involved in hosting a “dance party.”