ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday confirmed bail to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in cases related to violence during the 2014 sit-in.

Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi announced the decision after hearing arguments of special public prosecutor Chaudhry Shafqaat and Mr Khattak’s counsel Syed Ali Bukhari.

Advocate Bukhari said during the course of arguments that his client was sleeping when violent protesters attacked the Pakistan Television’s and other buildings on the Constitutional Avenue.

He said police had falsely implicated Mr Khattak as well as other mainstream leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in these cases.

Prosecutor Shafqaat on the other hand opposed the confirmation of bail, saying Mr Khattak was actively involved in these attacks. Citing various provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and other relevant laws, he said each and every member of the protest equally shared responsibility for any criminal activity during the sit-in.

The prosecutor further said that since the government did not allow protesters to stage sit-in on the Constitution Avenue, therefore, the entire protest activity was illegal.

The judge, however, confirmed the bail to Mr Khattak and adjourned the proceedings.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2018