RAWALPINDI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday remanded in police custody the 53 workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) who were arrested on Monday.

The police had registered cases against 1,300 workers of the party on the charges of attacking the police, causing damage to an armoured personnel carrier and creating law and order situation in the city.

On the other hand, the local leaders of PAT, who were detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) on Sunday, were sent on 15 days’ judicial remand.

They were: Raja Sajid Sohail Abbasi, secretary information; Sardar Mansoor Khan, central deputy secretary general; Anar Khan Gondal, Mohammad Afzal, Tariq Mehmood Advocate, senior vice-president; Mohammad Hanif Mustafvi and Ahmed Nawaz, chief organiser.

Court in Islamabad grants bail to 203 activists

The PAT leaders were arrested after their refusal to change the venue of the public gathering to welcome their party chief Dr Tahirul Qadri outside the airport.

The Airport police produced the 53 workers before the ATC No II amid tight security.

On the request of the police, the judge sent the arrested men on physical remand with the direction to the police to produce them in the court on July 4.

In Islamabad, all the 203 activists of PAT were released on bail from the court of additional district and sessions judge on Tuesday, the capital police said.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2014