Zartaj Gul acquires transit bail in May 9 riots case

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zartaj Gul acquired transit bail to avoid arrest in a case related to May 9 events, after hours of drama at the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday. 

Gul approached the high court earlier in the day to get immunity against arrest and refused to leave the PHC premises as heavy police force was deployed outside for her potential arrest. 

After much ado, PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, who set up the court to hear Gul's plea late this evening, restricted the police from taking the female politician into custody. 

"It is not our tradition to arrest a woman," CJ Ibrahim remarked during the hearing while lamenting the deployment of a heavy police contingent outside the court.

He said that the female politician hadn't attacked the police to have this much contingent deployed. 

"Both of us should resign if you cannot bring out a solution to the matter," CJ Ibrahim said while addressing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's advocate general.

The former federal minister had made a desperate plea for protection against arrest and refused to leave the court's premises, while also apologising for violent events that took place following PTI founder Imran Khan's arrest on May 9 last year. 

The police reportedly deployed additional contingents including six more female police officials outside the court, and Ababeel Squad personnel patrolled outside.

Gul among 51 other PTI leaders including Murad Saeed, Ali Amin Gandapur, Hammad Azhar, and Omar Ayub face charges in a case related to the attack on Gujranwala Cantt on May 9.

An anti-terrorism court had issued directives to seize the properties of the said politicians. 

Earlier, speaking to journalists at the PHC, the politician broke into tears and said that she felt like fighting a war instead of contesting general elections as heavy contingents of police force were deployed outside the court to arrest her.

The politico asked her voters not to be worried over the tense environment as she was standing firmly and fearlessly with her ideology. She pinned hopes on the judiciary for providing her justice.

Gul said that her nomination papers were rejected by the election commission. The staffers of the election commission were taken hostage in DG Khan.

“Imad Tahir was arrested from the same court this morning and now the forces are present outside to arrest me," Gul said, stressing that she should be granted bail as she has personally appeared and "surrendered" before the court.

"I have not committed any crime. I am just standing with my ideology and I only want to contest polls, which is my right to represent DG Khan," she added, appealing to the lawyers, PHC chief justice, and bar to give her "justice" and order police to refrain from arresting her. She also requested the legal fraternity to take a stand for the rule of law.

Some female cops had earlier reached PHC’s bar room in an apparent bid to arrest the PTI leader. However, the members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum resisted their attempt. The bar room was then locked after media persons and cops asked to leave.