The administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts on Saturday granted interim bail to two suspects nominated in a case pertaining to a clash between members of the public and law enforcers in Liaquatabad.
Muhammad Ayub Qureshi and Syed Nasir, through their counsel, moved applications before the judge, contending that they had come to know about their nomination in the FIR of the incident. They said that they were ready to face the charges but should be granted bail before arrest.
The court approved their pleas and asked them to submit a surety of Rs100,000 each as well as their passports. They were directed to join the investigation with police and ordered to appear in the court at the next hearing on April 14.
On the previous hearing, the court had sent prayer leader of Ghausia Masjid, Rahim Dad Qadri, mosque committee member Sohail Baig and worshippers Muhammad Salman Khadim, Muhammad Najam, Muhammad Abdullah, Kamran Qadri and Hamid Atari in police custody on two weeks’ physical remand. The prosecution had contended that the suspects were arrested as a mob of 250 to 300 people attacked the policemen after they tried to implement the government orders of restricting the Friday congregational prayers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The incident occurred on April 3 in Liaquatabad No. 7. The crowd attacked the police team that had come to the mosque after learning about the congregational prayers happening there. The mob damaged a police vehicle and forced the law enforcers to flee.
Later, police registered an FIR under the sections 269, 188, 186, 353, 324, 147, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on behalf of the state at the Liaquatabad police station.
It was reported that the prayer leader was heading the congregational prayers despite a ban imposed by the government from noon to 3pm. A large number of people gathered in the mosque to offer the Friday prayers.
According to the police, when the matter came into the knowledge of the local police, their team reached the mosque to arrest the prayer leader. The police alleged that the prayer leader incited the people to violence, who attacked the police team. In a bid to save their lives, the police personnel fled the scene.
Several videos were also circulated on social media which showed the crowd attacking the police mobile vehicle and pelting some cops with stones who were running for their lives.