Punjab Assembly attack case: IHC grants PML-N's Atta Tarar 14-day protective bail

Islamabad: PML-N leader Atta Tarar was granted 14-day protective bail by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday in connection with the Punjab Assembly attack case. 

The Special Assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) was booked in a case registered on the complaint of Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi over hooliganism during the April 16 election.

Acting IHC Chief Justice Justice Aamer Farooq passed the orders on a petition filed by Tarar earlier in the day.

The Punjab police had paid a visit to the PML-N leader’s house in Lahore in the wee hours of the morning last week and delivered a notice ordering him to appear before the authorities for investigation.

The police had said that no one was arrested or detained as Tarar was not at his residence. Notices were also served to PML-N leaders Rana Mashhood and Malik Ahmed Awan.

In his petition submitted at the IHC today, Tarar said the case registered against him was “wholly false, frivolous and the same has got registered with malafide and ulterior motives”.

“The petitioner has the right to approach the concerned court as his liberty is at stake and without getting any protection, he will not only be arrested, but shall also be humiliated by the local police.”

Tarar argued that Article 10-A of the Constitution gave every citizen the right to fair trial and defend their case, alleging the police in Lahore were not allowing him to approach the court.

The petition then went on to pray that the PML-N leader be granted protective bail so that he could reach out to the court in Lahore, which was accepted by the IHC.