ATC approves bail of suspect in Imran Khan's assassination case

• Court rejects bail application of another suspect Waqas.
• Judge issues reserved verdict on bail plea by suspect.
• Suspect was arrested for hinting at major attack on social media.

An anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala Friday approved the bail application of a suspect nominated in the case filed against the assassination attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

The court’s judge issued a reserved verdict on a plea filed by suspect Ahsan Nazeer in the case. The suspect’s bail application was later approved against a surety of Rs500,000.

Ahsan, who was arrested by the police for his post on social media, is the brother of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) district secretary information Mudassar Nazeer.

In the post, he predicted a major event happening on the day when Khan was attacked in Wazirabad.

The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician was wounded on November 3 last year during a shooting at his rally, which was part of the PTI's long march protesting against the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government.

At least seven people, including the former prime minister and other PTI leaders, received bullet injuries and a party supporter was killed when the suspect showered a volley of bullets with an automatic pistol on them at the Allah Wala Chowk area of Wazirabad.

Meanwhile, the bail plea of another suspect Waqas — currently under arrest in the case — was dismissed by the ATC.

A month ago, a Gujranwala ATC awarded an extension in the physical remand of suspects who were involved in attacking the PTI chief.

Both the suspects, including the prime suspect Naveed Meher and Waqas — who helped arrange a pistol used in the attack — were presented in the court by the joint investigation team (JIT) as the earlier remand came to an end.

Naveed was apprehended by a PTI supporter near the site of the attack and was later arrested by the police, while Naveed was apprehended in December following probe conducted by the JIT.

Case under probe by different JITs

Last month, the federal government too formed a separate joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the assassination attempt on Khan's life.

A five-member JIT, headed by Pakistan Railways Inspector General (IG) Rao Sardar Ali Khan, was formed to investigate the attack.

Other members of the new JIT include officials from the country's premier spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Military Intelligence (MI).

Meanwhile, the JIT in Punjab was reconstituted after allegations were levelled by members against its head and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mahmood Dogar.

The new members of JIT include Dera Ghazi Khan's District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Akmal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Anjum Kamal, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) CIA Jhang Nasir Nawaz.