ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Friday, granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Pervaiz Elahi in a terrorism case registered against him with respect to vandalism and violence at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC).

The ATC judge, Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, while hearing the case, granted bail to Elahi against the surety bonds of Rs 20,000. Elahi’s lawyers including Sardar Abdur Razzaq, Babar Awan, and prosecutor Naveed appeared before the court.

At the start of the hearing, the prosecutor told the court that today’s case record would be produced before the court.

To this, the judge expressed anger and asked the defence counsel to start arguments.

Awan, while arguing before the court, said that his client has not been nominated in the case as well as he has no role in this case.

“Elahi is a famous politician and not an unknown person,” he said, adding that police have so far not conducted an investigation in this case.

He said that police can submit supplementary challan before the court.

“The presence of his client has not been proved at the place of occurrence of the incident,” he said, adding that the participation of Elahi has not been established.

Awan said that all the people nominated in this case have been granted bail. “The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted bail to those people whose bail was rejected by this court,” he said.

Razzaq, another counsel of Elahi while arguing before the court said that his client had been arrested in different cases. He cited various past verdicts and contended that the PTI leader’s name had been added to the FIR six months after it was first filed.

“The prosecution has no evidence against his client,” he said, adding that the court has granted bail to the PTI chief and Asad Umar. He requested the court to grant bail to Elahi.

Opposing to Elahi’s bail plea, the prosecution told the court that the accused has provided financial support for the FJC attack.

“Elahi had provided funds through digital means,” he said, adding that the section invoked in the FIR is unbailable. Elahi had been arrested on the basis of information provided by the informer, he said.

The judge asked the prosecution to satisfy the court why they nominated him on the basis of the statement recorded so late.

“Elahi had been arrested on the basis of information provided by the informer,” he said.

The court after hearing arguments of both parties accepted Elahi’s bail plea against the surety bond of Rs 20,000.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023