Jhelum Factory Burning : Five suspects’ bail pleas rejected

RAWALPINDI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday rejected bail application of five suspects arrested in connection with rioting and a factory burning incident in Jhelum. Asif Majeed Awan, however, accepted interim bail application of another suspect in the case, Hamza Ahmed, and directed him to submit surety bonds of Rs100,000. The court also extended bail of 15 other suspects till February 16. The court has directed the lawyers to present arguments at the next hearing. A mob had blocked the GT Road and set fire to a chip board factory in Jhelum on November 20, 2015, after a factory staffer was accused by another staffer of burning pages of the Holy Quran. Police had arrested a total of 90 suspects, many of whom are still in custody. Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court will take up the Benazir Bhutto assassination case today (Feb 10).

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2016.