24 bails extended, two dismissed in May 9 riot cases

Former PTI leader Yasmin Rashid among those whose bail has been extended till Oct 28

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday extended the bails of some prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and dismissed two of them in different FIRs registered for allegedly creating law and order, chaos, anarchy in response to the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

The ATC judge extended post arrest bails until Oct 28 of 24 accused, including PTI’s former provincial minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, in an FIR registered against them for setting Askari Tower ablaze.

The ATC judge directed the prosecution to complete its arguments. The law officer apprised the court that the detailed record was not available.

The prosecution sought time for the arguments.

Torching police van

The ATC judge dismissed as withdrawn the pre-arrest bails of accused Anees Sarwar and Mian Farhan

in a case registered against them for allegedly setting ablaze a police van outside the Jinnah House and pelting stones at police officials.

Read More: No military trials: SC ruling gives PTI a ray of hope

The counsels for the accused argued that their clients had nothing to do with the case, adding that they had been implicated in a forged case merely to humiliate them despite the fact that they had nothing to do with the case.

They requested the court to grant bails to the accused persons. However, the law officer strongly opposed the bails placing arguments that substantial evidences were available on record to establish the involvement of the accused in the May 9 riots case.

Read More: JIT finds Imran ‘mastermind’ of May 9 riots

As the petitioners’ counsels observed that the court was about to dismiss their bails, the lawyers requested the court that they were withdrawing the bails. As a result, the ATC judge dismissed the bails as withdrawn.