LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan in a case of resorting to violence outside the Zaman Park, Lahore, residence of the Pakitan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan.

Judge Arshad Javed allowed the bail petition of the media person subject to furnishing surety bonds worth Rs200,000.

Racecourse police had arrested the anchorperson in the criminal case after a special court released him on bail in a graft case about the contract of Dhrabi Lake in Chakwal. The ATC hand sent him to jail on judicial remand on March 6 when the investigating officer did not seek his further remand.

Imran Riaz’s lawyer argued that his client was not a member of any political party. He said the petitioner, being a media person, was present outside Zaman Park to cover a peaceful protest.

Several petitions by the media person are pending before the Lahore High Court pertaining to cases against him and inclusion of his name in the passport control list. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also summoned Riaz, who is known for supporting the PTI ‘agenda’, following an inquiry into an “organized malicious campaign” against the Supreme Court.

BAIL: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday extended the pre-arrest bail of the PTI’s former secretary general Asad Umar, Zain Qureshi, Farhat Abbas and 73 other suspects in the Jinnah House attack case.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2024