LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday granted post-arrest bail to PTI’s former MNA Rubina Jamil in a case of alleged attack on security squad of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court at an intersection near a known bakery on Aziz Bhatti Road in Cantonment during the May 9 riots.

A two-judge bench comprising Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa allowed the bail to the ex-lawmaker subject to furnishing of surety bonds of Rs500,000. The trial court had denied bail to the petitioner.

Advocate Faisal Bajwa argued on behalf of Ms Jamil that the petitioner had not committed any illegal act. He said the police record itself showed that the petitioner was a peaceful participant of a political procession.

He said the petitioner was not even nominated in the FIR and police implicated her in the case without conducting the identification parade.

The counsel said the petitioner was an elderly person with multiple health issues, including cardiac problem. He asked the court to allow the bail petition.

The PTI leader had already been granted bail in two other cases related to the May 9 violence, including attack on the Jinnah House and torching of a police van in Cantonment area.

The trial court had discharged her in a fourth case of attack on Shadman police station.

Sarwar Road police had registered the cases of attacks on the Jinnah House, which also serves as the residence of Lahore`s corps commander, and police teams and their vehicles, during the May 9 riots involving PTI leaders and workers.

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) granted post-arrest bail to PTI social media activist Sanam Javed in a case of burning the PML-N office in Model Town during the May 9 riots.

Advocate Naseeruddin Nayar argued on behalf of the activist that the police arrested his client in the case after she secured bail in two cases registered against her.

He said the arrest of the petitioner in a new case after the bail showed malice and mala fide on the part of police.

He asked the court to grant bail to the petitioner and also order her immediate release from jail.

Judge Arshad Javed allowed bail to the activist subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs200,000.

The judge dismissed the bail pleas of co-suspects Taj Muhammad and Muhammad Tanvir in the case.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2023