Nov 26 protest: ATC acquits 86 PTI workers

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain on Tuesday acquitted 86 out of 108 PTI workers arrested in cases registered against them for the November 26 protest, discharging 22 workers while issuing notices on the bail applications of 38.

Forty-eight PTI workers were produced before the court after completing their one-day physical remand, and the investigation officer requested another 10-day physical remand. Advocate Muhammad Bushik appeared on behalf of the PTI workers and opposed their further physical remand. After hearing arguments, the court rejected the request for further physical remand and ordered all the 48 to be transferred to jail on judicial remand.

Later, 40 workers arrested in the Tarnol police station case were also produced before the court and the investigation officer requested their 10-day further physical remand. The court reserved the decision after hearing arguments and later discharged two workers from the case and ordered the judicial examination of 38.

On the other hand, bail applications were filed by 38 PTI workers, on which the court issued notices to the parties concerned and adjourned the hearing till April 14.

Twenty workers including Salar Kakar arrested in the Kohsar police station case were presented before the court after their identity parade. Lawyers Sardar Bushik, Mirza Asim, Amna Ali, Zahid Bashir Dar and Murtaza Tori appeared in the court on behalf of the workers. The police requested a 30-day physical remand. Bushik said the court should look at the identity parade of Salar who should be isolated. A person who contested the MNA election and was sent for an identity parade, now the prosecution is saying it is not Salar, it is someone else.

The court asked the investigating officer who conducted the identity parade? The lawyer said apart from Salar, the remand of the remaining accused has been sought, which is not possible. These accused had been arrested four months ago. Advocate Safai requested discharge of two accused on the basis of medical issues and said an incident was happening in November, what would be the significance of it if the identity parade was happening in April? The investigating officer said there was still an investigation to be done in this matter, their identity parade has also been done.

After hearing arguments, the court reserved the verdict and later discharged 20 workers including Salar from the case.