An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad on Monday ordered the immediate release of all members of the Pakistan National Assembly Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who were arrested at Parliament House following the party’s September 8 political show in Islamabad. ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain heard bail pleas and granted bail after the arrest of PTI MNAs who were taken into custody by Islamabad Police with their cases registered at Sangjani Police Station. The bails were granted on bail of Rs 30,000 each. During the hearing of the case, public prosecutor Raja Naveed told the court that Muhammad Ahmed Chattha, MNA Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), is also nominated in the case. He requested the court not to grant bail as the minimum sentence under the provisions imposed in the case is three years. “Has anything been recovered from Sher Afzal Marwat, Ahmed Chattha and other MNAs?” the judge questioned the prosecutor. He answered the question in the negative. Meanwhile, the court also granted an anticipatory bail plea filed by PTI leader Advocate Ali Bukhari in a case related to his violation of No Objection Certificate (NOC) and assault on police personnel in Islamabad during a party rally. After the hearing, the court issued a notice and adjourned the hearing of the case to October 1. On September 8 and 9, police arrested PTI legislators after the party’s political rally in the federal capital. The leaders included Marwat, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Zain Qureshi, Chattha, Malik Aamir Dogar, Yousaf Khan, Naeem Ali Shah. PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and legislator Marwat were also arrested outside Parliament House for allegedly violating the newly enacted Public Assembly Act during the party’s power show in the federal capital on the 8th. Marwat resisted arrest and asked the police to show the arrest warrant. While Gohar was later released, Marwat was kept in custody for violating the regulations laid down by the new law – Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 and also accused of clashing with police personnel on the day of the assembly. At least 10 PTI lawmakers who were arrested in the parliament building were brought to the lower house on September 12 after their production orders were issued by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.
PTI legislators arrested
The PTI staged its much-hyped show of power in Islamabad, where party workers and police clashed on September 8 at Chung No. 26 on the outskirts of the capital. Heavy contingents of police have been deployed outside Parliament while all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone have also been closed from D-Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Serena and Marriott, except Margalla Road. Several PTI lawmakers, including Qureshi, Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman and Zubair Khan, were arrested inside the Parliament building. The police detained several leaders of the party founded by Imran under the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 at Noon Village and Sangjani police stations. At least 28 local leaders including Seemabia Tahir and Raja Basharat were also nominated in the cases.
