LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Wednesday issued notices on the post-arrest bail petitions of 104 PTI leaders and activists, including former MNA Alia Hamza and fashion designer Khadija Shah, in different cases relating to the May 9 riots, including an attack on Jinnah House.

The bench headed by Justice Sultan Tanvir Ahmad directed the registrar office to consolidate all the bail petitions relating to the May 9 cases and sought replies from the government and the police by Aug 21.

PO:An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday directed the Racecourse police to issue a proclamation required under section 87 of CrPC to declare PTI leaders Hammad Azhar, Barrister Hassaan Niazi, Zubair Niazi and Khalid Gujjar proclaimed offenders in a case of burning police vehicles outside Zaman Park.

The investigating officer filed an application before the court saying the suspects had not joined the investigation despite the issuance of their non-bailable arrest warrants.

He asked the court to order publication of a proclamation against the suspects to declare them proclaimed offenders.

Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar allowed the request and ordered issuance of a proclamation against the suspects.

The judge suspended the proceedings to declare Hassaan Niazi, nephew of PTI chief Imran Khan, a proclaimed offender in the Jinnah House attack case following his arrest from Abbotabad.

Separately, Judge Buttar issued notices to the prosecution and Sarwar Road police on a post-arrest bail petition of former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema in Jinnah House attack case.

Cheema filed the petition through Advocate Rana Mudassir Omar saying he had no role in the alleged occurrence. The petitioner contended that neither was he present on the occasion nor participated in any illegal activity.

Sarwar Road police had registered a case of the attack on Jinnah House following the property’s vandalisation during the May 9 riots involving PTI leaders and workers.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2023