Islamabad anti-terrorism court grants bail to detained PTI lawmakers
At least 11 PTI MNAs were arrested last week following the party’s long-waited power show rally in Sangjani. PTI leaders Zain Qureshi (L), Sher Afzal Marwat (C) and Amir Dogar (R) speak in the National Assembly on Sept 13, 2024. Dawn
An Islamabad anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted bail to 10 PTI lawmakers arrested by the Islamabad police last week under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the newly imposed Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024.
At least 11 PTI MNAs were arrested last week from different areas of Islamabad following the party’s long-waited power show rally in Sangjani.
The party rallied on the outskirts of Islamabad, demanding the “immediate release” of their founder Imran Khan while criticising the government for marginalising the party as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The MNAs arrested on different charges following the PTI public gathering at Sangjani were Sher Afzal Khan from NA-41 Lakki Marwat, Malik Mohammad Aamir Dogar from NA-149 Multan II, Mohammad Ahmed Chattha from NA-66 Wazirbad, Makhdoon Zain Hussain Qureshi from NA 150 Multan III, Waqas Akram from NA-109 Jhang II, Zubair Khan Wazir from NA-42 South Waziristan Upper-cum-South Waziristan Lower, Awais Haider Jakhar from NA-182 Layyah II, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah from NA-33 Noshehra I, Nasim Ali Shah from NA-39 Bannu and Yousaf Khan from NA-36 Hangu-cum-Orakzai.
On August 10, an Islamabad ATC handed over the PTI MNAs and several other workers to Sangjani police for eight days on physical remand, rejecting the request for 17-day custody.
However, while hearing the lawmakers’ petitions against the physical custody the next day, the Islamabad High Court had struck down the verdict and sent the 10 MNAs on judicial remand.
In a separate development, the National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had declared the Parliament Lodges Islamabad as sub-jail for the 10 lawmakers on Friday.
While hearing the PTI leaders’ bail petition today, Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain accepted their plea against a bond of Rs30,000.
Prosecutor Raja Zahid said that the minimum sentence for the sections invoked in the case was three years, urging the judge to deny the bail.
PTI’s lawyer Sardar Masroof Khan said that the sections invoked in the case were not applicable, adding that the district administration had provided the no-objection certificates to the party for holding the Sangjani rally.
“The case was filed on political grounds and has nothing to do with reality,” Khan said.
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