ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Tuesday, extended interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser till July 7 in the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) vandalism case.
The ATC judge, Raja Jawad Abbas, while hearing the case, extended the interim bail of former National Assembly speaker till July 7. Qaiser appeared before the court along with his counsel Sher Afzal Marwat.
The investigation officer of the case told the court that Qaiser has so far not joined the investigation. To this, Qaiser’s counsel told the court that the IO is making a misstatement. Have they received our statement or not? asked Qaiser’s counsel.
He said that if they had not received the written statement then they should have issued a notice and summoned his client again.
The judge remarked that recording the statement of the accused is mandatory.
The court, after hearing arguments of both parties, directed the accused to join the investigation and extended his interim bail till July 7.
The City police, on March 19, registered two different first information reports (FIRs) at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and the Golra Police Station, claiming the PTI leaders and workers attacked the police and created unrest outside the FJC on March 18.
In the FIRs against the PTI Chief Imran Khan, and other leaders included Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Sections 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to the amount of one hundred rupees), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt), and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023