KARACHI: As many as 19 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers, including a former member of the Sindh Assembly, were granted post-arrest bail on Friday by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in a case pertaining for staging an alleged violent rally at Banaras Chowk on Aug 24, 2025.

After hearing the prosecution and defence counsel Shujaat Ali Khan, the ATC-XV judge granted bail to PTI leader Saeed Afridi and other 18 workers against the surety bond of Rs30,000 each along with personal bonds.

According to defence counsel Shujaat, Advocate Attaullah who was also held in this case, earlier managed to secure his bail from the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The counsel told Dawn that during the arguments, he contended that no incriminating material was recovered from the suspects and that the case was registered due to “political motivation”.

He argued that no damage had occurred during the “peaceful” rally while the police failed to produce any medical certificates regarding the injuries of law enforcement personnel. He requested the court to grant them bail on the principle of consistency.

Complainant Inspector Anees Ahmed Shaikh stated in the FIR that he was on patrolling on Aug 24 when he came to know that PTI leader Afridi was planning a “violent protest” at Banaras Chowk against the “military operations” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, specifically in Bajaur.

He added that at around 4:20pm, Attaullah and Afridi along with over 100 men, “armed with sticks and batons”, reached Banaras Chowk, raised provocative slogans against the state and its institutions and held the protest without permission.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2025