LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Wednes­day granted post-arrest bail to PTI’s former MNA Aalia Hamza and social media activist Sanam Jav­ed in a case of Shadman police station attack during the May 9 riots.

Judge Arshad Javed allowed the bail to the women after hearing concluding arguments of their lawyers.

Advocate Naseeruddin Nayyar argued on behalf of Ms Hamza saying the police arrested his client, who was already in jail for nine months, after the Lahore High Court granted her bail in the last case of Jinnah House attack against her.

He said the police acted with mala fide to implicate the former MNA in a new case only to frustrate her release.

He asked the court to reject the police request and discharge the former MNA in the case.

On behalf of Ms Javed, Advocate Shakeel Pasha argued that the police implicated the petitioner in a new case to foil her release on bail in the last case against her.

He said the trial court allowed her bail in the case of torching PML-N office in Model Town, but the police affected her arrest in Shadman police station attack.

The counsel argued the petitioner was not even present on the alleged occurrence. He asked the court to release the petitioner on bail.

A deputy prosecutor opposed the bail petitions of both women saying the suspects attacked public and private property on May 9 in an organised manner. He said the suspects also provoked and incited the public to resort to violence against the state.

He said a challan (investigation report) had been filed in the court and the trial would be concluded soon.

The judge allowed the petitions and directed the petitioners to furnish bail bonds of Rs200,000 each.

Both Ms Hamza and Ms Javed, if not arrested in any new case, are likely to be released from jail on Thursday (today).

Ms Javed now has been granted bail in seven cases. She is a Sunni Ittehad Council candidate for Senate on women’s seat.

Also, an ATC granted bail to 31 suspects in the Jinnah House attack case.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2024