129 PTI workers behind bars for judicial remand

Lahore: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore rejected the request for physical remand of 129 leaders and workers, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Lahore General Secretary Ahsan Younis, in four cases related to the October 5 protest and sent them jail for judicial remand.

According to the media report, the investigation officers of the four police stations produced the arrested persons in the court and requested their physical remand.

The defense counsel opposed the remand and requested the court to acquit the activists, rejecting the allegations made in the First Information Report (FIR).

Judge Irfan Haider rejected the request of the police and sent the PTI workers to jail on judicial remand.

Other arrested activists include Musarat Jamshed Cheema, Hafiz Sarfaraz, Malik Baqir and Malik Ali Hasnain.

Also, a judicial magistrate of the district courts acquitted 17 other PTI activists including Musarat Jamshed Cheema and Rai Muhammad Ali in the case of violation of Section 144 and assault on the police in the city.

In his order, the magistrate pointed out that the investigating officer failed to produce any evidence in the form of CCTV footage.

He said that the investigation officer's report shows that no private witness was produced by the police during the recovery process.

The magistrate acquitted the accused and said that the allegations are baseless.

The ATC has granted interim bail to PTI Secretary General Advocate Salman Akram Raja till October 16 in three cases related to the October 5 protest and attacks on the police.

Salman Akram appeared in the court along with President of Raja Insaf Lawyers Forum Pakistan Ishtiaq A Khan.

Judge Arshad Javed granted bail against a surety of Rs200,000.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) also granted protective bail to Salman Akram till October 15 in the terrorism case registered in Islamabad.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi heard the petition of the PTI leader.

The bench granted protective bail and directed the counsel to approach the concerned court for further relief by October 15.

A case has been registered against PTI leaders and workers for protesting and attacking officials in Islamabad's Secretariat police station.