RAWALPINDI, Dec 22: Around 52 workers and supporters of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), arrested from outside the Islamabad airport on Tuesday, were sent to the Adiala Jail by the court of Civil Judge Ijaz Ahmed Gondal here on Wednesday.
Those arrested by the Islamabad police have been granted bail. However, three party leaders - MNAs Zamurad Khan, Naheed Khan and Senator Safdar Abbasi - who were also booked by the Airport police along with the 52 people on charges of violating a ban on processions, causing damage to government property and creating law and order situation did not apply for their bails.
Chaudhry Waris Advocate, the council for the PPP workers, applied for their bails in the court of the civil judge. But the judge sent all the arrested persons to jail and directed the lawyer to appear before the court on Thursday for further proceeding of the case.
The council urged the court to discharge his clients from the cases. But his plea was turned down. Later, the counsel requested the court to accept their bail, but it was also rejected.
The Airport police had lodged two separate FIRs of the incident. In one case, 67 people had been identified, out of whom 52 were arrested while the remaining escaped during the clash.
Those arrested included Shah Khawar Advocate, Sardar Saleem and Sawar Khan, a member of the Kashmir Council. The second FIR was registered against four party leaders including Naheed Khan, Zamurad Khan and Safdar Abbasi.
A large number of police personnel led by three ASPs were present on the district courts premises when the 52 handcuffed PPP workers were produced before the judge at around 3.15pm. Hundreds of party workers, MNA Naheed Khan, Agha Riazul Islam, Sultan Mehmood Qazi and MPA Amir Fida Piracha were also present on the occasion.
A press statement issued by Nasir Mir, the PPP Rawalpindi secretary information, condemned the arrests of the party workers. Meanwhile, around 50 other PPP supporters who were arrested from different parts of Rawalpindi on charges of violating Section 144 have been granted bail.
