LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday granted post-arrest bail to former MNA Alia Hamza in a case of allegedly attacking Jinnah House, which also serves as Lahore corps commander residence, during the May 9 riots.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aalia Neelum allowed the bail petition of Ms Hamza subject to furnishing surety bonds. However, she would not be released immediately for being on judicial remand in other cases related to the May 9 incidents.

Advocate Farooq Ali Bajwa argued on behalf of the PTI leader that the petitioner had not committed any illegal act. He said the police investigation also showed that the petitioner was a peaceful participant of a political march.

The counsel stated that the police failed to produce any direct evidence against the petitioner and brought general allegations against her. He said the police had not defined any specific role of the petitioner in any offence.

He further argued that the petitioner was not nominated in the FIR and police implicated her in the case without conducting the identification parade.

Sarwar Road police had registered the FIR of attack on the Jinnah House during the May 9 riots involving PTI leaders and workers. The riots had erupted in reaction to the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in a corruption case by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

ATTACHMENT: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday allowed the prosecution to attach movable and immovable properties of 11 proclaimed offenders (POs) in the Jinnah House attack case.

The POs include Wajid Azeem, Shahid Chaudhry, Tariq Sana Bajwa, Asif Shakoor, Naeem Riaz, Ali Rashid, Mumtaz Begum, Muhammad Akram, Malik Azhar Hussain Bara, Amjad Sohail Niazi and Saqib Saleem Butt.

ATC Judge Naveed Iqbal passed the order allowing an application by the police.

The police stated that the suspects had been declared POs and further proceedings under section 88 of the CrPC to attach their properties was required to be conducted.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024