ATC extends PTI chief's bail in five cases

ATC gives relief to Qureshi, Umar; interim bails extended till Aug 8

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Friday extended the bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan in terror cases.

Judge Abhar Gul Khan of the special ATC heard the former prime minister’s request for an extension of interim bail in five cases, including the Jinnah House attack case.

After the PTI chairman appeared before the court, the interim bail was extended till August 8.

During the hearing, special prosecutor Farhad Ali Shah told the court that the police have completed the investigation of the party chairman, adding that the former premier has been found guilty in the probe.

It is pertinent to note that cases have been registered against the PTI chairman in Sarwar Road, Gulbarg, Shadman and other police stations of the city.

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Qureshi’s bail extended

In  a separate development, the ATC provided relief to  PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and extended his interim bail in three cases, including the Jinnah House and Askari Tower attack cases.

Duty Judge Abhar Gul Khan extended interim bail till August 8 in the cases and called the lawyers for arguments.

Umar’s bail extended

Meanwhile, a hearing on PTI leader Asad Umar's interim bail application in the Askari Tower arson and vandalism case was also held at the ATC.

The court ordered Umar to be investigated in the Jinnah House case and also sought the records of other cases at the next hearing and extended his bail till August 8.

In an unprecedented show of vandalism, protestors allegedly belonging to the former ruling party vandalised public and private properties and even attacked the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, and the Lahore corps commander’s residence, also known as the Jinnah House.

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The attack took place hours after paramilitary Rangers personnel arrested the party chairman in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, later retitled as the £190 million National Crime Agency scandal, on the orders of the National Accountability Bureau, from the Islamabad High Court premises.

Following the clampdown, several senior PTI leaders were arrested, and many dissociated themselves from the party.