LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at Lahore District Courts discharged Saadat Anees from a case involving the alleged assault of a petrol pump employee after the complainant told the court the two sides had reached a settlement.
Accused Discharged After Settlement
The incident took place at a filling station in Jubilee Town. Media reports said the worker had asked a customer not to smoke on the premises. The customer allegedly got out of his SUV, assaulted the worker and left. Police arrested the suspect after CCTV footage of the incident circulated on social media.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz later shared footage of the incident and a separate video showing the worker slapping the suspect while he was in police custody. The footage prompted public discussion about both the alleged assault and the response shown in the custody video.
Police produced the accused before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Ali Amjad and sought 10-day physical remand for investigation. The complainant told the court the incident had occurred due to a misunderstanding, confirmed the settlement and said he did not want to continue the case.
The magistrate rejected the remand request and discharged the accused from the case in light of the complainant’s statement and settlement. The court order was a discharge following the compromise; it should not be described as an acquittal.
