LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday extended judicial remand of former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and former provincial minister Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in the Jinnah House attack case till Nov 11.

The police presented both PTI leaders before the court.

The investigating officer told the court that Senator Ejaz Chaudhry was not brought from jail for health reasons.

The court extended the judicial remand of the suspects for further 14 days and directed the police to submit challan in the case.

Sarwar Road police had registered FIR No 96/2023 against several leaders and hundreds of workers of the PTI for attacking the Jinnah House, which also serves as Lahore corps commander’s residence, during the May 9 riots. The police initially registered the FIR under the charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder and damaging public and private property.

Later it added new charges of waging or attempting to wage a war or abetting in waging of war against Pakistan under sections 121, abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty under section 131 and rioting under section 146 of PPC.

Separately, the court sought further arguments on the bail petitions of PTI Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid in three cases of May 9 riots.

The PTI leader sought bail in the cases of attack on Askari Tower and torching police vehicles in Gulberg and Cantonment area.

CONTEMPT: PTI social media activist Sanam Javed on Saturday filed a contempt petition in the Lahore High Court against the police officials for not releasing her despite bail in two cases of the May 9 riots.

The petition filed through Shakil Pasha pleaded that the trial court granted post-arrest bail to the petitioner in two cases against her. It said a report submitted by the Punjab IGP in the court stated that only two cases were registered against the petitioner including attack on Jinnah House and burning police vehicles in Cantonment.

However, the petition said the police arrested the petitioner in a new case after the court granted her bail in the two cases.

It argued that the IGP and the CCPO committed contempt of court by not letting the petitioner come out of jail after she secured bail in the cases.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2023