KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Monday directed the investigating officer to file a charge sheet against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lawmaker Firdous Shamim Naqvi in a case pertaining to May 9 riots.

PTI lawmaker Naqvi is facing cases pertaining to allegedly resorting to violence, arson and causing terror while staging protests in Karachi before and after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on May 9.

On Monday, the IO produced the PTI lawmaker before a judicial magistrate (East) in connection with a case pertaining to allegedly leading a violent protest near Millennium Mall.

However, the IO failed to submit an investigation report against the interned legislator.

The magistrate asked the IO to submit the investigation report on the next date and adjourned the hearing till July 18.

Pleas against arrest of 13 PTI workers

The Sindh High Court adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging arrest of 13 PTI activists in cases pertaining to May 9 riots.

A prosecutor informed the bench that interim charge sheets had not been submitted by the investigating officer with relevant trial courts.

He asked the court to call the record and police papers of the cases lodged against detained PTI activists.

Petitioners’ counsel Hafeezuddin and Sathi M Ishaq contended that the police had detained even innocent people who had nothing to do with the alleged acts of violence and terrorism on May 9.

They said their clients’ relatives were in custody since May 10. They pleaded the court to declare their detention illegal and order their release.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2023