ATC rejects Faisal Raza Abidi’s bail plea

Issued notices to PTI and PAT leader in PTV parliament attack case

ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday rejected the bail applications of former senator Faisal Raza Abidi in multiple cases of contempt of court and cybercrime.

Abidi’s counsel told the court that his client is not a terrorist, but a civilised, law-abiding citizen as well as a former parliamentarian. Three similar cases with same allegations were registered against him “which is not justified”, he added.

The state counsel, while rebutting arguments of the petitioner’s counsel, requested the court to dismiss the bail applications. He submitted before the court that the accused had directly targeted the Supreme Court and its chief justice to get a decision in his favour in the contempt proceedings already pending before him.

After listening to the arguments from the sides, ATC-II judge Shahrukh Arjumand rejected the bail pleas.

Meanwhile, the ATC resumed hearing of the case concerning the attack on PTV headquarter and Parliament building and issued notices to the prosecution for further discussion on acquittal pleas by the leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

The court later adjourned the hearing till November 8.

Judge Arjumand listened to the case where PTI leaders Ijaz Chaudhry, Saifullah, Asad Umer and others had filed acquittal pleas under section 265 of Criminal Procedure Code, stating that they were not directly involved in such cases.

Earlier, the ATC had granted Prime Minister Imran Khan permanent exemption from appearing before it in the two cases whereas President Dr Arif Alvi enjoys immunity from prosecution under Article 248 of the Constitution.

In August 2014, Imran and PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri staged a sit-in in Islamabad respectively against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections and the Model Town killings. APP