NBWs issued for Haleem, Firdous, other PTI leaders for skipping ATC hearing

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday issued non-bailable warrants (NBWs) for the arrest of around a dozen leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over their absence in cases pertaining to the May 9 violence.

Sindh PTI President Haleem Adil Sheikh, former lawmakers Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Khurrum Sher Zaman, Raja Azhar, Alamgir Khan and Faheem Khan, other leaders, and 800 to 900 party workers had been booked in several cases of violence and arson during protests against the arrest of their party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9, 2023.

As the cases came up for hearing before the ATC-XV judge, Naqvi, Zaman, Azhar, Adeel Ahmed, Alamgir, Faheem, Mohammad Tahir, Hanif Khan, Mohammad Faizan, Shaikh Mahboob Jilani and Rawaz Khan were called absent. Their counsel submitted an application requesting the judge to condone their absence from the hearing.

However, state prosecutor Ghulam Abbas Dalwani opposed the application, contending that they were "involved in anti-state activities" and had repeated the same offence. He said the accused were misusing the concession of bail and were in the habit of remaining absent.

After hearing the counsel and prosecutor, the judge dismissed the application and cancelled the PTI leaders' bail, issuing non-bailable warrants for their arrest. The cases were lodged at the Tipu Sultan, Ferozabad and Shah Faisal Colony police stations. The cases were registered under the sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 153 (inciting to riot), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 337 A (shajjah), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.