PTI leader’s bail extended

Court directs all accused to appear before JIT

LAHORE:

An Anti-Terrorism Court judge on Friday extended the bail of several PTI leaders, including former federal minister Asad Umar in the Zaman Park law and order case until April 27.

The judge directed them to appear before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for further investigation.

The PTI leaders, including Asad Umar, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Dr Yasmeer Rashid, Zubair Niazi, Hassan Niazi, and others, were accused of attacking police officials, creating law and order problems, causing panic and setting state properties on fire at Zaman Park.

During the proceedings, the JIT head, SSP Imran Kishwar, informed the court that only Asad Umar had joined the investigation, while the other accused had not appeared before the JIT. The judge directed all the accused to join the investigation before the JIT, to which the JIT head suggested that the accused could visit their office.

The counsel for the accused contended that the accused could join the investigation on the court premises. The judge adjourned the proceedings until 10:00 am and directed the JIT head to record the statements of the accused persons in the court premises.

When the proceedings resumed, the JIT head informed the court that all accused appearing before the JIT had recorded their statements, and they needed to put some queries to the accused persons in the presence of witnesses. The ATC judge directed the accused persons to appear before the JIT at 2:30 pm on April 7, 2023.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2023.