LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday transferred the presiding judge of the anti-terrorism court-I, Lahore, who was seized with many important cases, including the bail petitions of the suspects, in the Jinnah House attack.

A notification issued by the LHC registrar said District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Naveed Iqbal/Judge of the ATC-I, Lahore, was posted on repatriation as officer on special duty (OSD) in BS-21 at Rahim Yar Khan sessions court against a newly created post.

Judge Iqbal was posted to the ATC-I on Jan 10 when he was serving at the LHC Bahawalpur seat as senior additional registrar.

The judge, from Feb 17 to March 7, granted post-arrest bail to as many as 154 activists of the PTI in case of attack on the Jinnah House, which also serves as the residence of Lahore’s corps commander.

On Friday, the judge also allowed the bail petitions of 42 suspects in the Jinnah House attack.

The bail petitions and the trial proceedings related to the May 9 cases may face a delay as only two anti-terrorism courts have been working in Lahore.

The LHC has not yet posted a new judge to the ATC-I.

The Sarwar Road police had registered the case against the leaders and the workers of the PTI on charges of attacking Lahore’s corps commander residence and burning down the property last year during the May 9 riots.

The party is accused of attacking public and private properties, especially the military facilities, as a protest against the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in Al-Qadir Trust case by the NAB.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2024