ATC grants police Yasmin Rashid's 14-day judicial remand

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday granted the police Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Yasmin Rashid's 14-day judicial remand in a case pertaining to an attack on Jinnah House during May 9 riots.

During the hearing today, the police sought the PTI leader's physical remand, however, the court dismissed the plea and sent Rashid to prison on judicial remand.

She was arrested by the Lahore police on May 17, despite the Lahore High Court (LHC) order to suspend the detention of PTI workers including Rashid under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

On May 22, the court sent the PTI leader on a three-day physical remand, who is accused of delivering a speech against institutions during the May 9 violent protests triggered by the arrest of party chief Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The cases against her were registered at Sarwar Road, Gulberg, and Shadman police stations, and they include sections related to terrorism and other serious charges.

During the nearly three-day-long violent protests across the country, PTI supporters and workers allegedly attacked and ransacked public and military installations including Jinnah House and General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, the court also sent PTI leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed on two-day physical remand.

Both Rashid and Rasheed have resolved that they would not leave the Imran Khan-led party despite a mass departure of stalwarts following the May 9 riots.

Several party leaders and lawmakers — including Shireen Mazari, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Mahmood Moulvi, Aftab Siddiqui, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Ali Zaidi among others — have publicly denounced the attacks on the state installations and announced leaving the former ruling party since the May 9 vandalism.