Local court acquits PTI leader Rana Jamil day after arrest in May 9 case

• Advocate Sher Afzal says RO involved in PTI leader's arrest. 
• Claims RO's office called his uncle for signature verification.
• PTI leader contesting polls from NA-112, PP-135 constituencies.

NANKANA SAHIB: A local court in Nankana Sahib Saturday acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Rana Jamil Hassan Khan a day after being arrested in a case pertaining to May 9 incidents, the day when the party workers and activists vandalized state installations following the arrest of party founder Imran Khan.

Hassan, also known as Good Khan — who was taken into custody on Thursday from outside the returning officer's (RO) office in Nankana Sahib — was presented before Mandi Faizabad Police Station’s judicial magistrate Imran Yusuf.

The PTI leader was later cleared from the case and released by the magistrate.

He was summoned to verify his signatures to RO's NA-112 office ahead of the upcoming general elections, slated to take place on February 8 next year.

Earlier, the police had confirmed the PTI leader's arrest, saying he was arrested in connection with the May 9 incidents, the day when former PTI chairman Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case which led to the eruption of violent protests across the country.

Advocate Sher Afzal, who is the PTI leader's nephew, while speaking to the media persons outside the RO's office, claimed that RO Rai Zulfikar had called his uncle for the verification of his signatures when he was arrested. 

He alleged that the RO was involved in Hassan's arrest, requesting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice of the matter. 

"We received a call from the RO office's official phone number for the verification of Rana Jameel Hassan's signature," he alleged. 

Meanwhile, RO Zulfikar said that the PTI leader — who is also contesting from PP-135 — never came to his office and was arrested from outside, adding that he doesn't know the reason behind the arrest. 

Mandi Faizabad Police Station has arrested Hassan in the May 9 case and he will be presented in court today (Saturday).

The May 9 riots led to the deaths of at least eight people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers and followers. Hundreds of party workers and senior leaders were put behind bars for their involvement in violence and attacks on military installations.

During the protests, the miscreants targeted the civil and military installations including — Jinnah House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The military termed May 9 as "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the Army Act.