ATC orders to release all PTI lawmakers arrested after Islamabad power show

• Judge questions if anything was recovered from MNAs.
• ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain heard bail petitions.
• Bails granted against surety bonds worth Rs30,000 each.
  

An anti-terrorism court in Islamabad Monday ordered the immediate release of all the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) members of the National Assembly arrested from the Parliament House in the wake of the party's September 8 political show in Islamabad.

ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain heard the bail pleas and granted post-arrest bail to the PTI MNAs who were taken into custody by the Islamabad police with their cases registered at the Sangjani police station.

The bails were granted against surety bonds worth Rs30,000 each.

During the hearing of the case, the prosecutor, Raja Naveed, told the court that Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) MNA Muhammad Ahmed Chattha is also nominated in the case. He requested the court against approving bails as the minimum sentence for 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 responded to the question in the negative.

Meanwhile, the court also approved the pre-arrest bail petition filed by PTI leader Advocate Ali Bukhari in the case pertaining to his violation of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) and assault on police personnel in Islamabad during the party’s gathering.

Following the hearing, the court issued a notice and adjourned the hearing of the case till October 1.

The police, on September 8 and 9, arrested PTI lawmakers in the wake of the party's political gathering 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 lawmaker Marwat were also arrested from outside the Parliament House for allegedly violating the newly enacted public gathering law during the party’s power show in the federal capital on September 8.

Marwat had resisted the arrest and asked the police to show arrest warrant.

While Gohar was later released, Marwat was kept in custody for violating regulations devised under a new law — Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, and also accused of clashing with police personnel on the rally day.

At least 10 PTI lawmakers, who were arrested from the premises of Parliament House, were brought to the lower house on September 12 after their production orders were issued by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.

PTI lawmakers arrested

The PTI had staged its much-hyped power show in Islamabad with party workers and police clashing on Chungi No 26, on the outskirts of the capital  on September 8.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed outside the parliament while all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone were also closed from D-Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Serena, and Marriott, except for Margalla Road.

Multiple PTI lawmakers, including Qureshi, Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman and Zubair Khan had been arrested from the Parliament House.

Police had filed cases against several leaders of the Imran-founded party under newly-enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 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.