KP withdraws appeal for cancellation of bail to Asad Qaiser

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed as withdrawn the plea seeking cancellation of bail granted to former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’ in the May 9 cases. A three-member regular bench, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, heard the petitions seeking cancellation of bail granted to the accused persons in the May 9 cases.

During the hearing, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Advocate General appeared before the court and submitted that they want to withdraw the appeal for cancellation of bail granted to Asad Qasier.

The court after accepting the plea of KP government dismissed as withdrawn the plea.It is pertinent to mention here that on October 19, 2023, a two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood had suspended the verdict of Peshawar High Court (PHC), granting bail to Asad Qaiser and others in corruption related cases.

The court had admitted for regular hearing the appeal, filed by KP former caretaker government challenging the PHC verdict, granting bail to the accused with the direction not to arrest them in any other case.

The public prosecutor representing the KP government had told the court that cases were registered against the accused persons by the Anti-Corruption Department, Swabi. However, during this period, all the accused persons got protective bails from the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The officer had further informed the court after getting bails from the IHC, they did not appear before the Anti-Corruption Court concerned but approached the PHC for bail.He had further informed the court that the PHC, after granting bails to Asad Qaiser and other accused persons, directed that they should not be arrested in any other case.

The public prosecutor had requested the apex court to suspend the PHC order with the contention that the order was against the criminal system of justice.Later, the court, after hearing the arguments of public prosecutor, suspended the PHC order, admitted for regular hearing the appeal of KP government and issued notices to the accused persons.

On Tuesday the bench also granted interim bail to PTI leader Hafiz Farhat Abbas until Thursday against surety bonds of Rs50,000. The court also extended Imtiaz Shaikh’s interim bail until Thursday.

Following this, a Lahore police DSP stopped the police from arresting the PTI leaders. The Lahore police had been standing outside the Supreme Court with handcuffs, ready to arrest them.Similarly, the court also issued a notice to the Punjab government on PTI Senator Ejaz Chaudhry’s bail application and adjourned the hearing until Thursday.During the hearing on other appeals seeking cancellation of bail for accused in the May 9 cases, the court instructed the anti-terrorism courts to complete trials within four months.