LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and former secretary general Asad Umar in multiple cases related to the May 9 riots.

The PTI leaders appeared before the court on expiry of their pre-arrest bail.

ATC Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar extended the bail of Mr Khan till July 7 in cases pertaining to Jinnah House attack, violence outside Zaman Park, besides attacks on Askari Tower and Shadman police station.

The judge also extended the pre-arrest bail of Mr Qureshi till July 7 in the same cases, while of Mr Umar in one case – Askari Tower attack – till July 7.

Umar was directed by the court to join police investigation.

REMAND: An ATC on Tuesday denied police physical remand of the wife of former governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema in the Jinnah House attack case and sent her to jail on judicial remand.

The investigation officer of Sarwar Road police presented Ms Rabia Sultan before the court and stated that the identification parade of the suspect had been conducted in the jail. He asked the court to grant a seven-day physical remand of the suspect to conduct photogrammetric test.

However, Judge Abher Gul Khan turned down the police’s request and sent Ms Sultan to jail on a judicial remand.

The judge also issued notices to the police and the prosecution on the post-arrest bail petition of the suspect for July 4.

Speaking before the court, Ms Sultan denied her involvement in any illegal activity or violence, saying she was arrested only for pursuing the cases against her husband.

The police had arrested Ms Sultan from the anti-terrorism court, where she came to meet her husband who was brought from the jail on the expiry of his judicial remand in the Askari Tower case.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2023