Violence during Azadi March: Islamabad court grants bail to PTI leaders

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad granted on Monday interim pre-arrest bail to senior PTI leaders in a case pertaining to vandalism during the party’s recent long march toward Islamabad.

The police had booked around 11 PTI leaders in a case pertaining to violence at the Kohsar police station in which the court had reserved its verdict. A decision on case no 425 of the same station has been postponed.

The PTI leaders granted pre-arrest bail include former planning minister Asad Umar, ex-deputy speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri, Senator Faisal Javed, former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed, ex-defence minister Pervez Khatak, PTI Vice-President Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shehryar Afridi, Ali Mohammad Khan, Sheraz Basharat, Raja Khurram Nawaz and Murad Saeed, among others.

During the hearing, the judge inquired about the investigation on the cases registered in Tarnol, Golra and I-9 police stations. The judge directed all the suspects to become a part of the investigation.

Qasim Khan Suri, Shehryar Afridi, Ali Muhammad Khan, Asad Umar, Faisal Javed appeared in court today.

‘Will continue to protest’

Speaking to journalists outside the court, Umar said the party will continue to protest until the people get relief.

“The government is currently giving relief to itself and there is no doubt that the coalition government has come into power for NRO-II,” he added.

ATC also grants bail to PTI leaders till June 28

Last week, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted interim bail till June 28 to more than a dozen PTI leaders for vandalism.

Police had booked 14 PTI leaders in the case pertaining to violence at Lahore's Bhatti Gate police station and later added Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) to the first information report (FIR).

The PTI leaders granted pre-arrest bail include former energy minister Hammad Azhar, PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid, Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Musarrat Cheema, Murad Raas, and Andleeb Abbas.