ATC cancels Marriyum’s non-bailable arrest warrants

Hearing adjourned till January 6

LAHORE:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday withdrew the non-bailable arrest warrants issued for PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb after she appeared before the court for the hearing of a case filed against her. On November 25, ATC Judge Abher Gul had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Marriyum for her repeated absence from hearings in the case.

Last year in September, a case was registered against Marriyum and PML-N leader Javed Latif for allegedly spreading religious hate and declaring former PTI chairman Imran Khan a non-Muslim during a TV talk show.

Read No proposal under consideration to alter 18th amendment: Marriyum

The FIR of the case was lodged by complainant Irshadur Rehman at the Green Town Police Station when PTI leader Parvez Elahi was the chief minister of Punjab. Accompanied by their legal team, both Marriyum and Latif on Saturday appeared before the court. The court directed the authorities to provide a copy of the Islamabad High Court order regarding the plea of nominated suspects in the case.

In response to Marriyum’s request for acquittal in the case, the court ordered both the prosecutor and the defendant’s counsel to present their arguments during the upcoming hearing. The hearing of the case was adjourned till January 6.

Speaking to the media, Marriyum termed the case against her “fabricated”, saying it was registered when the PML-N revealed that Imran would attack the state institutions.She said the person (Imran) who had lodged the case against her was now himself accused of the May 9 incident.

Read Non-bailable arrest warrant issued against Marriyum

While maintaining that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was ousted from power for not taking a salary from his son, she lashed out at PTI, saying “they loot the country and then question how the economy has deteriorated”.Alleging that Imran exploited his position during his tenure as premier to increase his wealth, she censured the PTI leaders for not only “stealing” but also adopting a “suborn attitude” later.

“Today the youth is facing unemployment, not the former chairman," she blasted Imran, adding that Nawaz would be voted by the people on February 8.