PHC extends interim bail of PTI leaders, seeks details of cases

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday extended the interim bail of former lawmakers, leaders and a mayor of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and issued notices to the relevant authorities to submit details of cases registered against them by February 22, the date of next hearing in the petitions.

The PHC division bench comprising Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Wiqar Ahmad took up the petitions filed by former ex-Member National Assembly Junaid Akbar, Nasimur Rehman and Sahibzada Sibghatullah, former MPAs Sharafat Ali, Mujahid Ali and Fazal Hakeem, and mayor of Swat’s Babuzai tehsil counsel Shahid Ali Khan.

Advocates Syed Sikandar Shah and Inam Yousafzai appeared for the petitioners while Additional Advocate General Danyal Asad Chamkani, Additional Prosecutor General Muhammad Ali and Additional Director (Law) represented the provincial government, National Accountability and the Federal Investigation Agency, respectively. The bench was told that several cases had been registered against the petitioners but they were not being provided the details about them.

They requested the court to direct the relevant authorities to provide details of cases so they could adopt a legal course for their bails and subsequent trials.

Upon this, the NAB and FIA officials informed the bench that presently they had not any case against any of the petitioners while the provincial government representative said that there were cases against them and their details would be provided accordingly.

The bench adjourned the hearing until February 22 and also extended the interim bails of PTI leaders and lawmakers in all the cases registered against them.