Pakistan

Eight PTI workers rearrested after release on bail

Rawalpindi DC detains party workers under the Section 3 of MPO for 30 days

Qaiser Shirazi March 28, 2024

Supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan hold a giant cricket bat with the colours and initials of the party. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

RAWALPINDI:

Eight Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists have been re-arrested following their release from the Adiala Jail where they were incarcerated for over 10 months in cases related to May 9, 2023 violence and attacks on the sensitive state installations.

The deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi has detained the eight PTI workers under the Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) for 30 days soon after their release on bail. However, their detention was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Thursday.

In a case related to the May 9 tragedy, lodged in the New Town police station, a total of 28 PTI activists were arrested. Earlier, this week, five of them got bail and released from the jail. Five more activists also got bail separately and released.

The Supreme Court granted bail to five more PTI workers, but they were rearrested after their release. However, because of the Supreme Court’s decision, these five PTI worker were released again and allowed to go home.

Later, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted bail to 19 activists. Out of them the release orders of 13 were sent to the jail authorities on Wednesday. Initially, these 13 were released but four hours later, eight of them were rearrested under 3MPO and brought back to the jail.

On Thursday, release order of four more PTI workers were sent to Adiala Jail after their bail bonds were submitted. Bail bonds of five more workers would be sent to jail on Friday, lawyers associated with the PTI said. they added that the LHC would hear the pleas against these detentions on Friday (today).

Faisal Malik and Hasnain Sambal Advocates, the main leaders from the Insaf Lawyers Wing, told The Express Tribune that the detention of the PTI workers would not hold in the court, and expressed the hope that they would be released before Eidul Fitr.