Sindh House attack: Police moves SC to cancel bail of accused

According to a police report, no evidence of terrorism was found against the accused

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Police on Tuesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting cancellation of bails granted to the accused involved in the attack on Sindh House.

On March 18, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and workers stormed the Sindh House in Islamabad in protest against the dissident members of the ruling party, who were staying inside the building. The PTI legislators and workers forcibly entered the building located in the Red Zone of the federal capital just days before the voting on the joint opposition’s no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The PTI MNAs, Faheem Khan and Ataullah, along with a group of charged party workers had entered the Sindh House, knocking down a gate and shouting slogans and holding Lotas (spouted globulars) in their hands to symbolise the turncoats.

However, the workers who were involved in the incident were released on personal assurance, on March 20.

The police in the federal capital had registered an FIR against the PTI workers for violating Section 144 imposed in the capital and also included sections for vandalising government property.

Read: PTI's attack on Sindh House sign of 'fascist mentality', says Shehbaz

The workers were produced before the area magistrate, who granted them bail on personal assurance.

Today, the inspector-general of police submitted a progress report before the apex court on the case. According to the report, no evidence of terrorism was found against the accused and it added that no weapons were recovered from the people involved.

“Rai Tanveer, one of the 16 accused, could not be arrested and raids are being carried out to nab him,” the report stated. The report further stated that all the arrested accused had been granted bail by the Judicial Magistrate.

“An application has (also) been filed to the magistrate to cancel the bail. Further action will be taken if evidence of terrorism is found,” the report added.

Earlier, the apex court ordered the arrest of those who were involved in the attack within 24 hours.

Raising the issue of the attack on the Sindh House, the advocate general of Sindh said anti-terrorism provisions were not included in the First Information Report (FIR). However, the advocate general of Islamabad replied that terrorist provisions do not apply.