LAHORE/TOBA TEK SINGH: An anti-terrorism court on Friday extended the pre-arrest bail of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan in three cases of May 9 riots.

ATC-III judge Arshad Javed heard the bail petitions as a duty judge as the presiding judge of ATC-I, the relevant court, had been transferred.

The judge simply adjourned the hearing till March 22 and also extended the bail of the former premier in cases of attacks on Jinnah House, Askari Tower and Shadman police station.

The judge on March 1 confirmed the pre-arrest bail of Khan in four cases, including murder of Zille Shah, attack on police outside Zaman Park, and torching offices of PML-N in Model Town and a container at Kalma Chowk on May 9 last.

An ATC on Aug 11, 2023, dismissed the pre-arrest bails of the PTI founding chairman over his non-appearance as he was jailed following his conviction in the Toshakhana case.

Later, the Lahore High Court, on a petition by Khan, set aside the decision of the ATC and restored his bail petitions. The high court also directed the trial court to decide the bail petitions afresh on merit.

Meanwhile, Faisalabad anti-terrorism court judge Muhammad Hussain extended the bail before arrest of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman and MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, his brother Sahibzada Hassan Raza, his sister and 17 PTI activists till the next hearing in the May 9 case.

The accused were charged with attacking and ransacking the ISI office in Faisalabad after the arrest of Imran Khan.

The prosecution informed the court the joint investigation team had not completed the investigation into the case yet. The court directed the prosecutor to ask the JIT to complete the investigation at the earliest.

Besides Raza, his brother and sister, those who appeared before the court included two MNAs Malik Umer Farooq and Rai Haider Kharal and three MPAs Hasan Zaka Niazi, Khayal Ahmad Kastro and Asad Mahmood.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2024