Two PML-N leaders get bail in NAB attack case

Additional district and sessions judge summons police record by Sept 5

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions judge granted pre-arrest bail to PML-N MPA Yaseen Sohal and former MPA Ahsan Raza in a case registered against them along with party leaders Maryam Nawaz, Pervez Rasheed, Rana Sana Ullah and several legislators and workers over allegedly attacking the NAB office in Lahore and injuring 13 police officials.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) had earlier confirmed the pre-arrest bail of Rana Sana Ullah, Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar and several other leaders and workers.

Although the case was to be heard by the ATC owing to the inclusion of Section 7 of the Ainti-Terrorism Act (ATA) in the FIR, petitioners Yaseen Sohal and Ahsan Raza had filed their pre-arrest bail applications through Advocate Rafaqat Dogar in the sessions court.

The applicants’ counsel contended that the relevant ATC and duty judges were not available, so the district and sessions court could entertain the matter.

However, the district and sessions judge was also not available and the applications were heard by the additional district and sessions judge.

Advocate Dogar told the court that a politically motivated false case had been registered against the applicants. He requested the court to grant pre-arrest bail to the leaders as they might be arrested in the case.

The court granted them pre-arrest bail and summoned the police record by September 5.

The prosecution opposed the bail, contending that Maryam Nawaz had been summoned by the National Accountability Bureau to record her statement in an inquiry and there were pictures and videos showing how the NAB office was attacked.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2022.