GUJRANWALA: Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 Judge Ittefaq Abbasi on Friday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and 71 activists of his party, and ordered police to produce them in court on Sept 5.

The court also directed police to submit a chargesheet against them by Sept 2.

The court had already issued arrest warrant of the PAT chief on Aug 22 and Aug 29 but police could not arrest him as he was leading a sit-in in Islamabad.

Police said 71 PAT activists were involved in attacking police and injuring more than 76 officials during their march on GT Road Sadhoki on Aug 8. Police had registered a case against them under the terrorism act.

Meanwhile, Anti-Terrorism Court No 1 Judge Imtiaz Ahmad accepted bail applications of 50 activists of PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and ordered their release on submission of surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each.

According to the prosecution, the activists were involved in attacking police and injuring over 71 officials, including DSP Rashid Sundho, and two SHOs during their march on Aug 8 on GT Road Sadhoki.

Police sent them to the central jail after registering a case against them under the terrorism act.

The Anti-Terrorism Court No 2 had already accepted bail application of 64 activists of both parties on Thursday on surety bonds worth Rs100,000 each. The court directed the workers to avoid repeating such activities.

PROTEST: Motorcycle rickshaw owners blocked GT Road near toll plaza against motorway police for challaning them “without reason”.

They claimed traffic police wardens and motorway police on GT Road were challaning their vehicles over “minor mistakes”. They claimed their vehicles were being ‘targeted’ at behest of a private bus company and wagon owners as motorcycle rickshaw owners were providing cheap travel facilities, while bus and wagon owners were fleecing commuters and extorting heavy fares.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2014