ATC grants bail to 52 PTI workers held during Nov-26 protest

Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain issued written decision, approving bail applications against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each

By Khalid Iqbal

March 06, 2025

Policemen fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party during a protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, in Islamabad on November 26, 2024. — AFP

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted post-arrest bail to 52 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, who were arrested during the November 26 protest.

Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain issued the written decision, approving the bail applications against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each.

The court noted that the workers were not named in the First Information Report (FIR) and were sent to jail on judicial remand after the investigation was completed. The decision said that, prima facie, the case requires further inquiry.

The accused’s lawyer argued that the petitioners could not be linked to the charges, while the prosecutor opposed the bail, claiming the accused were involved in serious offenses.

The prosecutor also stated that the accused had been identified by witnesses during the identification parade. However, the prosecution was unable to convince the court that the accused would not comply with the bail conditions.

Ultimately, the court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to suggest the accused intended to disrupt the justice process and ordered their release on bail.