LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday reserved its verdict on the bail petitions of former Punjab governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema and former provincial minister Dr Yasmin Rashid in cases related to the May 9 riots.

ATC-I Judge Manzer Ali Gill heard the bail pleas of the PTI leaders.

The judge would announce the decision on Cheema’s bail petitions in two cases on July 16, while the verdict in two other cases against him will be announced on July 19.

In Yasmin’s case, the judge adjourned the hearing on her bail petitions in two cases till July 17, when the reserved verdict will be announced. Both Cheema and Dr Yasmin sought bail in separate cases including burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House during the May 9 violent protests.

Separately, Judge Gill summoned prosecution witnesses in three cases of May 9 riots including the burning of Shadman police station.

The judge conducted the trial proceedings inside Kot Lakhpat jail.

The judge adjourned the hearing of two cases including the police station attack till July 14 and deferred the hearing of another case involving burning of police vehicles near Jinnah House till July 15.

During the hearing, five prosecution witnesses recorded their statements against the accused, while defence lawyers completed cross-examination on their testimonies.

PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, and other detained leaders were presented in the trial proceedings. The accused out on bail including former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik and fashion designer Khadija Shah also appeared before the court.

dismissed: The Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue has dismissed an appeal against levy of millions of rupees Capital Value Tax (CVT) by the Income Tax authorities.

The Income Tax Department issued a notice to appellant Yasin Naqi under section 8(7) of The Finance Act 2022 in December 2023 mentioning therein that the taxpayer was liable to pay the CVT on foreign assets.

The appellant argued that no CVT liability could be levied on the foreign assets that had been declared under the Foreign Assets Declaration and Repatriation Act 2018. He contended by virtue of amnesty granted under PADRA the CVT notice should be withdrawn.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2025