Court declares PTI lawmakers innocent
PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's lawmakers including Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Shafqat Mehmood and others withdrew their bail petitions in cases pertaining to violence and vandalism during Azadi March on May 25 after two courts of Lahore were informed that they were not found to guilty during the investigation.
Police had registered dozens FIRs against PTI leaders. On Friday, a Lahore anti-terrorism court took up the pleas seeking interim bails for PTI leaders implicated in these cases, including Yasmin Rashid, Andleeb, Mehmoodur Rasheed, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Nadeem Abbas.
As proceedings commenced the accused person's counsel contended that police had declared the PTI leaders and workers as innocent in four cases. He argued that terrorism laws have been framed for terrorists rather than political leaders.
Lahore police also told the court that terrorism charges had been removed from four cases registered at Gulberg, Bhati Gate, Shafiqabad and Shahdara police stations, adding that the suspects were found to be innocent.
The investigating officer informed the court that none of the PTI members booked in the four cases had any role in the charges levelled against them. Moreover, the officer said none of the suspects were required to be arrested in these cases.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2022.