LAHORE: Police shifted former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to the Central Jail Kot Lakhpat, Lahore, from Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, on Friday, following the permission granted by an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

ATC-I Judge Khalid Arshad allowed the transfer of the PTI leader on an application filed by the DIG operations.

The police told the court that trial proceedings in cases of May 9 riots against the former foreign minister had been commenced before an ATC in Lahore. It said frequent transportation of Qureshi from Rawalpindi to Lahore was not feasible for the authorities as well as for the accused.

The police said Qureshi’s lawyer had also mentioned the difficulties faced during court appearances from Adiala jail.

Qureshi’s lawyers had requested for the attendance via video link from Adiala jail but the judge noted that transferring him to the Kot Lakhpat jail was better for the trial.

The ATC recorded statements of two prosecution witnesses in a case of Shadman Police Station attack against Qureshi and other PTI leaders the other day in a hearing conducted in the Kot Lakhpat jail.

Last week, Qureshi was indicted during the jail proceedings.

Shadman police had registered a case against PTI leaders and activists on charges of attacking and burning the police station on May 9.

Bail extended

An anti-terrorism court on Friday extended the pre-arrest bail of National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub, MNA Zain Qureshi and two sisters of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in the Jinnah House attack case.

All the suspects appeared before the court on the expiry of their pre-arrest bail in the case.

Judge Khalid Arshad extended their bail till Aug 6 and gave a last opportunity to the police to complete the investigation against the petitioners without delay.

Sarwar Road police had registered a case against the PTI leaders and workers for attacking and vandalising the corps commander house during the protests of May 9 last year against the arrest of former premier Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2024