MAY 9 CASES AGAINST PTI LEADERS.
Grants bail to Yasmin Rashid, 2 other PTI leaders.
LAHORE – The Lahore Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday reserved its verdict on an application filed by police for the physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in 12 cases related to the May 9 riots.
ATC Judge Khalid Arshad conducted proceedings on the application, with the attendance of the PTI founder marked through a video link. The court conducted proceedings on the application at different intervals in the evening and reserved its verdict after hearing detailed arguments from both parties.
The prosecution had requested the court to grant a 30-day physical remand of the PTI founder for investigations in connection with the 12 cases related to the May 9 riots. However, the PTI founder’s counsel stated that physical remand could not be granted without the accused being physically present in court.
Also, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday indicted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a case of torching Shadman Police Station during the May 9 riots.
ATC Judge Khalid Arshad conducted the trial proceedings at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi was produced after being brought from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. During the proceedings, the court indicted PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who pleaded not guilty and expressed his intent to contest the charges.
At this, the court adjourned the proceedings until July 18 and summoned prosecution witnesses to record their statements on the next date of hearing.
The copy of the challan (charge sheet) had already been given to the accused at the last hearing.
Shadman police had registered a case regarding the attack on the police station during the May 9 violence. Meanwhile, the ATC on Monday granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, and Senator Ijaz Chaudhry in separate cases related to the May 9 riots.
Dr Yasmin Rashid was granted post-arrest bail in connection with the torching of the PML-N office in Model Town. Similarly, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Ijaz Chaudhry were granted post-arrest bail in a case involving the torching of a container in Gulberg. The court required each of the accused to furnish surety bonds of Rs 200,000 to secure their bail.
ATC Judge Khalid Arshad announced the verdict on the post-arrest bail petitions of the PTI leaders after the completion of arguments from both parties.
The Gulberg and Model Town police had registered cases regarding the torching of a container and the PML-N office during the May 9 riots.
