An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday awarded a four-month imprisonment and Rs15,000 fine each to 82 PTI workers, who pleaded guilty to charges in the November 26 violent protest case.
The November 26, 2024, protest was aimed at building pressure on the government to release the PTI founder. The 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician has been behind bars since August 2023 after he was booked in multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism since his ouster from power via the opposition’s no-trust motion in April 2022.
The former ruling party’s three-day protests were abruptly ended after fierce clashes erupted between the law enforcers and the protesters, which resulted in the martyrdom of at least three Rangers personnel and a policeman.
The 82 accused confessed to the crime before the judge and submitted an affidavit stating that the PTI leadership incited them to protest.
Seeking leniency, the PTI workers apprised the court that they were poor labourers and stated that the local and central leadership of the former ruling party provoked them to stage violent protests.
In a written statement, the accused assured the court that they would not participate in any future protests.
It is pertinent to mention here that during the hearings, out of 1,609 defendants who appeared in court, 560 were indicted.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court approved the bail pleas of Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Farhat Abbas in the May 9 cases, directing them to submit surety bonds worth Rs100,000 in the trial court.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan heard the bail petitions of the accused involved in the May 9 incidents.
During the hearing, the special prosecutor argued that Senator Ejaz was part of a conspiracy to incite people. However, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan remarked that if the case against Ejaz was so strong, it should have been taken to a special court. He further stated that bail cannot be used as a form of punishment.
The court subsequently granted bail to Senator Ejaz, ordering the submission of Rs100,000 surety bonds in the trial court.
In a separate hearing on Farhat Abbas’s bail plea, the special prosecutor told the court that Abbas was also accused of being involved in the May 9 conspiracy and had been declared an absconder by the trial court. Justice Afghan responded that whether or not Abbas was an absconder was a matter for the relevant court to decide. He added that since the investigation had been completed and the charge sheet submitted, there was no longer a justification for arrest.
The prosecutor assured the court that the trial could be completed within four months, to which Justice Afghan remarked, “Then complete the trial in four months.”
The bench later approved bail for Farhat Abbas as well.
