ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday granted pre-arrest bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shoaib Shaheen and Ali Bukhari in a terrorism case registered after they staged a protest for the release of PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan.

ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, while hearing the case, granted pre-arrest bail to Shoaib Shaheen and Ali Bukhari against surety bonds of Rs10,000 each.

The court directed both PTI leaders to join the investigation. The defence counsel Riasat Hussain requested the court to allow him to play a minute long video regarding the protest. The judge played the video during the hearing. The counsel said that as per the video, no one during the protest even touched each other.

The court issued notices to the prosecution and defence and adjourned the hearing till June 22.

Meanwhile, PTI lawyers filed an application seeking post-arrest bail of PTI leader Aamir Mughal before ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra as police arrested him and registered an FIR against him and others after PTI’s workers protested outside the National Press Club. The court issued notices to both prosecution and defence on Mughal’s bail plea on June 20.

Ali Bukhari’s advocate told the court that Judge Abual Hasnaat has sent all the accused to jail on judicial remand.

Earlier, police produced Mughal before ATC judge Abual Hasnaat for obtaining his physical remand in the case registered against him and others.

Police requested the court grant physical remand of Mughal in order to recover tear gas shells from him which he had snatched during the protest.

The court rejected the police request and sent Mughal and other accused to jail on judicial remand.

It is pertinent to mention here that the city police on June 14 have registered cases under 7ATA against PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhar, Aamir Mughal and 80 others after a protest outside the National Press Club.

According to the police, the protesters clashed with the police, snatched weapons, and damaged public property.

The protesters, led by Shoaib Shaheen, Aamir Mughal, and Ali Bukhari, had gathered outside the National Press Club to protest against the government.

In the FIR registered against Shoaib Shaheen, Aamir Mughal and Ali Bukhari, it was stated that during their protest outside the National Press Club, they tried to crash their cars into the policemen in order to kill them.

It was further stated that the PTI workers, carrying guns with them, misbehaved with the police personnel deployed at the site and also had a scuffle with them. They snatched anti-riot kits from them, tore their uniforms, and even pointed their guns at them, read the FIR.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024