LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday granted post-arrest bail to seven activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in a May 9 case of attack on Lahore Corps Commander’s House, commonly known as Jinnah House.

Judge Khalid Arshad allowed the bail petitions and directed each suspect to furnish a surety bond of Rs300,000.

The suspects were: Talha Mustafa, Mirza Tahir, Muham­mad Abid, Azhar Abbas, Umair Khan, Zubair Gulzar and Junaid.

Separately, Judge Khalid Arshad resumed the jail trial of the Jinnah House attack case in the Kot Lakhpat jail.

The judge directed the prosecution to distribute copies of the challan (investigation report) among 266 suspects on June 13.

Among the prominent suspects, PTI-Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid, former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and former provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rashid are already in jail.

Several other suspects including Fashion designer Khadija Shah, former MNA Rubina Jamil, social media activists Tayyaba Raja and Ayesha Ali Bhutta have been released on bail.

Sarwar Road police registered the case against leaders and workers of PTI for attacking and vandalising the Jinnah House during the protests of May 9 last year against the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2024