ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday approved a five-day physical remand of 139 PTI workers arrested in connection with the party’s protest in Islamabad.

The court also sent two female workers to judicial remand and extended by four days the physical remand of 17 other workers in a related case.

The capital police presented 141 individuals, including two women, before ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra. The arrests were made in cases registered at the Secretariat police station.

Prosecutor Raja Naveed requested physical remand for all the suspects, prompting the judge to inquire about the women’s roles.

The arrested women told the court they had been detained since November 24 and were denied basic necessities, including food and water.

Their defence lawyers argued that the women had no affiliation with the PTI while the prosecution claimed their arrests were based on disclosures made by other suspects and that further investigation was necessary. The court rejected the prosecution’s request for the women’s physical remand and ordered their judicial remand instead.

The court first reserved its decision on the 139 male workers but later approved a five-day physical remand of all of them. The prosecution argued that anti-riot kits and sticks had been recovered from the PTI workers, and claimed that additional recovery was needed.

Separately, 17 workers arrested in another case by the Secretariat police were presented in the court after completion of their four-day physical remand.

The court extended their remand by four more days despite defence lawyers’ objections.

The defence counsel questioned the legitimacy of the recovery claims, arguing there were inconsistencies in the police narrative.

Additionally, eight workers arrested in a case at the Khanna police station were produced in the court and sent to jail for an identity parade.

The court ordered their production on December 10.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2024