ATC frees 102 PTI workers, bars re-arrests

Also grants physical remand of remaining suspects in November 26 protest case

ISLAMABAD:

An Islamabad-based Anti-Terrorism Court has discharged 102 out of 307 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers arrested in connection with the November 26 protest case, ordering the police not to re-arrest them. The remaining suspects were sent into police custody on physical remand.

The 102 discharged workers were released from the judicial complex and sent home. The court, led by Judge Tahir Abbas Supra, heard the cases of the 307 detained individuals.

Additionally, the Karachi Company police presented 95 detainees from two cases before Judge Supra, where nine were discharged, and three were granted a two-day physical remand.

In another case registered at the Karachi Company Police Station, eight suspects were discharged, while 75 individuals, including four minors, were granted a three-day physical remand and handed over to the police.

Defence counsel Ansar Kiyani informed the court that four of the detained suspects were minors and requested their discharge. The court directed the police to provide immediate details regarding the minors. Judge Supra instructed the police to furnish the necessary information about the children among the 75 detainees.

Moreover, the Kohsar police presented 33 more detainees in court. The Anti-Terrorism Court discharged 24 of them, and the judge ordered that the detainees' handcuffs be removed in the courtroom, directing that they should not be re-arrested. The court granted physical remand for the remaining nine suspects.

Lawyer Kiyani raised concerns that the police might re-arrest the discharged individuals. In response, the judge firmly instructed the police not to arrest any of the discharged suspects again.