Bushra Bibi granted interim bail till Feb 7 in 13 cases

Islamabad: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has granted interim bail to former First Lady Bushra Bibi in 13 cases till February 7 related to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest.

Bushra Bibi filed an application for interim bail in the Islamabad ATC in the cases registered in the D-Chowk protest case. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard Bushra Bibi’s bail application. Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry appeared in the court on behalf of Bushra.

During the hearing, the judge expressed his anger at lawyer Khalid Yousuf for not preparing the files and remarked that he should prepare the files before coming to the court.

The lawyer of the petitioner requested that February 7 be fixed as the date for interim bail in all cases, to which Judge Tahir Abbas remarked that you are saying that the date of February 7 is also for other accused but you did not give any certificate.

The judge expressed his agitation again when the lawyers asked the accused Bushra Bibi to sign and affix her thumbprint on a plain piece of paper and said in his remarks that it is said everywhere that VIP protocols are obtained. This cannot happen. I did not make you wait. I was writing the decision and am hearing your bail application. When the court order is issued, the accused's signature and thumbprint will be affixed to it.

During the hearing, the court expressed its anger again when lawyer Dr Qadeer Khawaja spoke and said in his remarks that learn to believe in the court. If you believe, people will believe in you again.

Later, the court granted interim bail to former first lady Bushra Bibi in 13 cases till February 7 in exchange for bonds of Rs5,500 in the D-Chowk protest case and ordered the police to submit the record at the next hearing.

It is pertinent to note that 13 cases have been registered against Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder, in different police stations in Islamabad over the D-Chowk protest. Three cases have been registered against Bushra Bibi in the Secretariat police station, two in the Margalla police station, and two in the Karachi Company police station.

Two cases have been registered against Bushra Bibi in the Ramna police station, and one each in the Tarnol, Kohsar, Aabpara, and Khanna police stations.