Lahore court orders release of petrol pump worker assault suspect after settlement

A Lahore court has ordered the release of Saadat Anees, who was arrested in a case involving the alleged assault of a petrol pump employee, after the complainant and the accused reached a settlement.

According to the order issued by a judicial magistrate on Saturday, the complainant informed the court that the incident had resulted from a misunderstanding and that he no longer wished to pursue the case following the settlement.

Police had sought a 10-day physical remand of Anees. However, the court rejected the request in view of the compromise, discharged him from the case and ordered his release.

A video showing the alleged assault on the petrol pump employee had gone viral on social media, following which a case was registered at Chung Police Station.

On Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz shared a video of the suspect’s arrest on social media platform X, saying that no one should be allowed to evade the law on the basis of wealth or power.

She said the incident sent a message to those who considered poor people inferior and believed their wealth and influence placed them above the law.

Maryam said she stood with victims of injustice as chief minister, regardless of how influential the alleged perpetrators were. She added that wealth, influence and political connections could not exempt anyone from accountability.

She also stressed that justice was a fundamental right of every citizen and that no victim should be left alone in seeking justice merely because the opposing party was influential.