PTI lawyer denied bail in Khawar Maneka assault case

ISLAMABAD:

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad denied on Monday bail to PTI lawyer Fathullah Barki in the case related to the assault on Khawar Maneka, the former husband of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.

However, bail was granted to other PTI lawyers whose pre-arrest bail pleas were heard during the proceedings presided over by ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Supra.

Representing the petitioners, advocates including State Hussain Azad, Sardar Higzi, and others appeared in court. The accused, including Usman Riaz Gul, and others also attended the hearing.

PTI lawyers Usman Riaz Gul, Fathullah Barki, and Zahid Bashir Dar had filed for bail.

Additionally, Mirza Asim Baig, Ansar Mehmood Kayani, and Saeed Khan Saduzai are among the accused in the case.

On May 30, an FIR was registered at Ramna Police Station against several PTI lawyers, including Naeem Haider Panjutha and Ali Ijaz Buttar, for assaulting Khawar Maneka.

The incident occurred outside the Islamabad district and sessions court after a reserved verdict was not announced in the iddat case against the former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse.

During the hearing, Maneka made critical remarks about Khan, provoked a strong reaction from PTI supporters. PTI lawyers then attacked Maneka outside the courtroom, punching him multiple times.

PTI rejected the registration of what it calls a “false, fabricated and baseless” case against members of the party’s legal team, including Panjutha, Buttar, Usman Riaz Gill, and Mirza Asim Baig.