ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Hammad Azhar and Asad Qaiser were granted security bail in a case registered in Lahore for events related to the party’s ‘Azadi March’.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on set the bail at Rs 5,000 and directed former federal minister Hammad Azhar to appear before the local court within 11 days. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case as Hammad Azhar appeared before the court along with his lawyer.
The court restrained the police from arresting the PTI leader as well as former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser. The cases against the party leaders were registered after the party’s recently held long march to Islamabad.
The court also issued a notice to the home secretary and others on Asad Qaiser’s request and ordered the secretary and other parties to submit their replies by the next hearing.
The IHC inquired into the number of cases registered against Qaiser in all four provinces and those by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The hearing has been adjourned for two weeks.
A day earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted a 10-day bail to PTI leader Umar Amin Gandapur in a case registered against him in Mianwali for the riots during the party’s ‘Azadi March’.
Gandapur contended before the court that he was nominated in the FIR for participating in the Long March. The court accepted his protective bail petition against Rs10,000 surety bonds.
Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was also granted bail by a district and sessions judge against Rs10,000 surety bonds till June 13.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureishi applied for bail in six cases registered in connection with the long march. Qureshi sought bail in six cases registered in different police stations.
Islamabad Police registered 16 cases against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and other senior leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar, following the riots in the federal capital during the long march.
PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Zartaj Gul, Ali Amin Gandapur, and Raja Khurram Nawaz have also been booked for blocking roads, disrupting state affairs, attacking the police personnel, and damaging the property.
