ATC extends PTI leaders’ judicial remand till Nov 9

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday extended till November 9 the judicial remand of PTI Punjab former president Dr Yasmin Rashid, former Punjab governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, former MNA Robina Jameel and fashion designer Khadija Shah in May 9 cases.

Police presented the PTI leaders and activists before Judge Abhar Gul Khan on the expiry of their 14-day judicial remand. The judge directed police to ensure submission of Challans by the next hearing and extended the judicial remand of the suspects till November 9.

In a brief conversation with reporters, Dr Yasmin Rahid challenged former prime minister and PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif to contest the coming elections against her to test his popularity and courage. “If Nawaz Sharif thinks he is so brave, he should contest the poll against her,” she said, adding that a level-playing field means anyone who wants to contest elections should be allowed to do so. Nawaz was a convict and an absconder and had been brought back for elections. “Nawaz Sharif is being provided with protocol and his cases were disposed of in minutes, while the Challans in the PTI leaders’ cases are yet to be submitted even after four months,” she said and added it was already confirmed that there would be no election but selection. She said the World Medical Association wrote to the prime minister and the president, questioning her arrest.

Cheema alleged he had been in jail in a false case for six months. “I was sitting at home on May 9, but they arrested me in a fake case,” he said, adding that “they wanted to make him and others hold a press conference,” he said and asserted that if he had to leave the PTI, he would have done it much earlier.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court on Thursday issued a Robkar (release order) of Khadija Shah in two cases, regarding attacks on the Corps Commander House and the Askari Tower on May 9. Her husband furnished surety bonds of Rs 1.4 million as directed by the Lahore High Court for the grant of bail in two cases. The high court had granted bail to Shah on October 18, however, police made her arrest in a third case of May 9, apparently to frustrate her release from jail. But the court denied police her physical remand in the new case and sent her to jail on judicial remand. The hearing of a contempt petition against her new arrest is fixed before the high court for today (Friday).