LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday allowed the police to interrogate several PTI leaders and activists afresh in different cases of May 9 riots following addition of new offences of mutiny and waging a war against the state in the FIRs.

Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar allowed an application of the Shadman police investigating officer seeking permission to interrogate PTI-Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid, former senior provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Senator Ijaz Chaudhry and five others again in a case of attack on the police station.

The judge permitted Sarwar Road police to interrogate afresh 68 suspects, including fashion designer Khadija Shah, former MNA Alia Hamza, activists Sanam Javed and Tayyaba Raja in the case of Corpse Commander house attack.

The investigating officer also told the court that challan against the suspects had been handed over to the prosecution department for scrutiny.

The police have added new offences in all the May 9 cases under sections 121 (waging or attempting to wage a war or abetting in waging of war against Pakistan), 131 (abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty) and 146 (rioting) in the FIRs.

Other offences under sections 120, 120-A, 120-B, 121-A, 505, 153, 153-A, 153-B and 107 of PPC had also been added in the cases, including the attacks on Askari Tower, Shadman police station, and torching of party offices of PML-N in Model Town.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2023