• Indicts three in separate protest case
• NAB appoints special prosecutor to represent it in £190m reference

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terror­ism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has once again written to the Ministry of Law, seeking permission to conduct a jail trial in the Judicial Complex attack cases against the former prime minister Imran Khan and other PTI leaders.

During proceedings on Wednes­day, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra informed the PTI’s counsel that a second letter had been dispatched to the ministry after no response was received to the initial request.

PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Raja Basharat, and Ali Nawaz Awan appeared before the court along with their lawyers. The court adjourned the hearing after summoning the present accused again, citing the absence of the main accused.

Two cases have been registered against the PTI founder and other leaders at Ramna Police Station in connection with the May 9 incidents.

The court had earlier sought guidance from the Ministry of Law on whether to allow the former prime minister to be produced in court or to hold the proceedings inside the jail.

In a separate case registered at Karachi Company Police Station over a protest on Nov 26, the court indicted three accused and summoned prosecution witnesses for the next hearing scheduled on July 13.

PTI leaders Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur are also named in this case, though the police have yet to submit the challan against them. Bushra Bibi currently on interim bail.

Meanwhile, progress has been re­­­ported in the Islamabad High Co­­urt in appeals and bail applications filed by the PTI founder and Bushra Bibi in the £190 million reference.

The National Account­ab­i­li­­ty Bure­­au (NAB) has appointed Ad­­vocate Javed Arshad as a special prosecutor to represent the bureau in the case.

The appointment was confirmed through a notification issued by Acting Prosecutor General Muhammad Akbar Tarar with the approval of the NAB chairman.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025