ATC confirms PML-N leaders’ bails in NAB office attack case

Petitioners contend ‘implicated in forged FIR to be humiliated, embarrassed’

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) confirmed the pre-arrest bails of PML-N lawmakers Rana Sanaullah, Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar and several other workers and leaders in an FIR registered against them for allegedly attacking the NAB office in Lahore, injuring 13 police officials.

The NAB had an FIR registered against Maryam Nawaz, MNAs, MPAs and several other workers.

During the proceedings, the prosecution apprised the court that the accused persons are nominated in the FIR and have been found guilty in the investigation. “Around 13 police officials were injured during the scuffle initiated by the PML-N workers and leaders.”

The prosecution contended that Maryam had been summoned by NAB to record her statement in an inquiry but “they [PML-N] made a plot to create panic outside the NAB office”, adding that there are visible pictures and videos of the leaders.

Deputy prosecutor general implored the court that as the police had yet to complete investigation and cell phones of the accused persons were to be recovered, their bail pleas be dismissed.

The petitioners’ counsel implored the court that the police have failed in submitting challan despite the fact that they are bound to submit it within 14 days as per the law.

He implored the court that the petitioners are innocent, had been attacked by the police officials and were implicated in a forged FIR. He prayed the court to grant bails to the PML-N leaders and workers.

The PML-N claims that its workers were injured while police say that 13 of their officers were badly injured with stones thrown by the PML-N workers.

Later, a NAB official had an FIR registered against 188 MNAs, MPAs and workers, including Maryam Nawaz, Captain (retd) Safdar, Pervez Rasheed, Sanauallah, Pervez Malik, Javed Latif and several others as well as 300 unidentified persons for allegedly attacking the NAB office, breaking its windowpanes, ruining its routine work, injuring 13 police officials and intervening in state matters.

Petitioners in their bail pleas implored the court that they were implicated in a forged case merely to humiliate and embarrass them despite the fact that they have nothing to do with the case. “The story of the FIR is nothing but a concocted story hatched against them,” the PML-N leaders and workers said. They prayed the court that they be granted bails.