LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday declared proclaimed offenders (POs) former federal ministers Hammad Azhar and Murad Saeed, former provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema and his wife Musarrat Iqbal Cheema, Barrister Hassaan Niazi, nephew of PTI chairman Imran Khan, and Zubair Khan Niazi.

The court declared the Pos in a May 9 riots case of attacking Shadman police station for their constant failure to join the proceedings against them.

Earlier, the investigating officer (IO) filed an application with the court saying despite hectic efforts the suspects could not be traced out as they went into hiding for fear of arrest.

The IO said non-bailable arrest warrants had also been issued against the suspects but they failed to surrender to the law.

The court allowed the application and directed the IO to submit details regarding moveable and immoveable assets of the suspects so that proceedings for the attachment of their property could be started.

The PTI leaders including four former federal ministers Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, and Ali Amin Gandapur, former state minister Farrukh Habib, former provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Andleeb Abbas, Karamat Khokhar and Zubair Niazi had already been declared POs in the Corpus Commander House attack case.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023