KASUR: An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday granted four-day physical remand of 10 more suspects allegedly involved in anti-judiciary tirade.

None of the nominated suspects, including two lawmakers and four local government heads, could be arrested so far after the insertion of section 7 of anti-terrorism act.

On Monday, police had produced as many as 17 suspects before the ATC that remanded them in physical custody for five days.

On April 18, A-Division police had booked 80 suspects, including MNA Waseem Akhtar, MPA Naeem Safdar, Chairman Market Committee Jamil Khan, Chairman Baitul Maal Nasir Khan, Chairman Municipal Committee Ayaz Khan, and Vice Chairman Municipal Committee Ahmed Latif in two FIRs for hurling expletives at judiciary and intelligence agencies after the lifetime disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.

On Wednesday, the public prosecutor argued that the suspects made hate speeches against the judiciary and other institutions. The defence counsel, however, argued that 7-ATA could not be added as per contents of the two FIRs. The defence counsel also rejected the photogrammetric test of the videos presented by the public prosecutor. Police had prayed for 15-day physical remand of the arrested.

In another development, Saad Waseem, son of MNA Waseem Akhtar, had got stay orders from the Lahore High Court on Wednesday regarding registration of third FIR.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2018