Courts see record surge in bail pleas

Over 750 accused move courts in first five days of Ramazan

RAWALPINDI:

With the onset of Ramazan, accused persons arrested in cases of all categories of crime have filed record bail petitions in the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench, special courts, and all sessions and civil magistrate courts, seeking release on "compassion grounds" for Ramazan and Eidul Fitr.

From the 1st to the 5th of Ramazan, a total of 752 accused, including women, filed bail applications. The courts have admitted these petitions for hearing and summoned case records from the police. Hearings are set to begin this week.

Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), arrested over the past three to four months, have also filed bail petitions in the high court and the Anti-Terrorism Special Court.

Between 35 and 50 bail applications are being filed daily on Ramazan and Eid compassion grounds. This trend is expected to continue until the 25th of Ramazan. Regular hearings on these petitions will begin from March 2, with daily decisions announced.

Proceedings will continue on a daily basis until Chand Raat.

Accused involved in cases of murder, attempted murder, robbery, theft, narcotics, assault and rape are filing bail petitions. Women accused have additionally begun citing their gender as a ground for compassion during Ramazan and Eid.

Judicial sources said special instructions have been issued that from the 15th of Ramazan onwards, all bail applications will be decided on a daily basis, with adjournments limited to one or two days.

All petitions filed until Chand Raat will be disposed of. District Bar Association President Tariq Mahmood Sajid Awan said that during Ramazan, courts grant bail on compassion grounds in minor cases, enabling a large number of accused to celebrate Eid with their families.

He clarified that release on bail does not mean cases are closed.

If convicted, those released will be re-arrested and sent to jail.

On the Chief Justice's directives, district and sessions judges of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will visit Adiala Jail on the last Friday of Ramazan to release prisoners involved in minor offences on personal surety bonds.

From the 21st of Ramazan until Chand Raat, divorced couples will also be facilitated with special Eid meetings with their separated children.

These special meetings will be arranged daily from the 20th of Ramazan until Chand Raat.