LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday declared nine leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) proclaimed offenders (POs) in the case regarding an attack on the Lahore corps commander’s residence.

Judge Abher Gul Khan issued the declaration against the suspects after completion of proceedings under section 87 of CrPC.

The suspects include four former federal ministers Hammad Azhar, Murad Saeed, Azam Swati, and Ali Amin Gan­dapur, former state minister Farrukh Habib, former provincial minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Andaleeb Abbas, Karamat Khokhar and Zubair Niazi.

The court had initiated the proceedings on July 24 against the suspects after they failed to surrender to the law despite issuance of repeated summons and non-bailable arrest warrants.

ATC adjourns hearing of Yasmin Rashid and Mahmoodur Rashid’s bail pleas in riot cases

The investigating officer told the court despite hectic efforts the suspects could not be traced out as they went into hiding for fear of arrest.

Section 87 of CrPC says if any court is satisfied, after taking evidence, that any person against whom a warrant has been issued by it has absconded or is concealing himself so that such warrant cannot be executed, such court may publish a written proclamation requiring him to appear at a specified place and at a specified time not less than 30 days from the date of publishing such proclamation.

The judge directed the investigating officer to submit reports regarding the moveable and immoveable assets of the PTI leaders so that proceedings for the attachment of their property under section 88 of CrPC could be started.

Sarwar Road police had registered FIR No 96/2023 against the leaders and workers of the PTI following the attack and vandalisation of the corps commander’s house during the May 9 riots.

Proceedings are also under way to declare dozens of other PTI leaders POs in other cases of May 9 protests, including attacks on Askari Tower, torching of police vehicles in the Cantonment area and Shadman police station.

Bail petitions

Separately, an anti-terrorism court on Saturday adjourned the hearing of the petitions filed by PTI-Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid and former provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid seeking post-arrest bail in multiple cases of May 9 riots.

Judge Arshad Javed adjourned the proceedings for further arguments in cases of the Askari Tower attack and torching of police vehicles until Oct 2 and Oct 5, respectively.

Both cases were registered by Gulberg police.

The judge adjourned the bail petition of Mr Rashid till Oct 5 in three cases of attack on Shadman police station, torching a container at Kalma Chowk and hurling petrol bombs on police teams in Gulberg.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2023