Lahore:
An anti-terrorism court has granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in a case of rioting during a long march.
Police have also named PTI leaders in the Bhati Gate case, adding terrorism provisions to the case on Saturday.
PTI leaders reached the anti-terrorism court in Lahore and filed a bail application to avoid arrest.
On behalf of PTI, Hamad Azhar, Yasmeen Rashid, Mohammad Yasir Gilani, Mohammad Zubair Khan Niazi, Andalib Abbas, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Musarat Jamshed, Imtiaz Sheikh, Ejaz Chaudhry, Nadeem Abbas, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Mian Mahmood Rashid and Mohammad Akram Usman. Bail application filed.
The court granted interim bail to the PTI leaders till June 28 and restrained the police from arresting the accused till June 28.
The anti-terrorism court sought record of the case from the police at the next hearing and also ordered all the accused to be involved in the investigation.
Talking to media outside the anti-terrorism court in Lahore, PTI central leader Dr Yasmeen Rashid said that no matter how many cases Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz file, we are getting bail.
He said that there has been a sharp rise in inflation, the common man is worried about inflation but the government’s focus is on making cases against us.
“We will have protests against this government and we are not afraid,” he said.
On this occasion, Hamad Azhar said that he never thought that he would receive a congratulatory message from the FATF outside the terrorism court. We did a lot of work regarding money laundering.
“I want to tell Maryam Nawaz and Rana Sanaullah that no matter how many cases they set up, we are not going to panic,” he said.
It should be noted that a case was registered against the PTI leadership and workers on March 25 for rioting during the Independence March.
Initially, terrorism charges were not included in the lawsuit but today, terrorism charges have been added to the lawsuit filed against the PTI leadership.
After the long march was ended by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, police across the country had registered dozens of cases against PTI leaders and workers under Section 144 as well as other serious violations.
Police in Rawalpindi and Islamabad had registered at least three cases against PTI leaders and workers for resisting law enforcement and damaging state property, including setting fire to metro bus stations.
A case was filed against PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry and his brother in Jhelum district under Mangla police for inciting people against riots and government during the independence march.
A fierce battle was witnessed on the streets of Lahore between the participants of the PTI march and the police. Punjab police had registered a total of 42 criminal cases against senior PTI leaders and workers across the province.
34 FIRs were also registered against PTI leaders and workers in Karachi, the country’s largest city, for violating Section 144.
