KARACHI: A sessions court on Thursday granted interim bail to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders Haleem Adil Sheikh and Arsalan Khalid, along with two others, who were booked on charges of rioting during rallies held to protest the continued detention of party founder Imran Khan.

Mr Sheikh, Mr Khalid, Dawa Khan, and Saif-ur-Rehman had filed applications through their counsel, Shoaib Khatian, before Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Shahid Ali Memon, seeking pre-arrest bail in the rioting case.

During the proceedings, defence counsel Khatian argued that his clients had been falsely implicated in the case with mala fide intentions. He maintained that no property had been damaged during the protest and alleged that the police had booked the applicants merely to “harass and humiliate” them.

After a preliminary hearing, the court granted interim pre-arrest bail to the four PTI leaders against a surety bond of Rs5,000 each, along with personal recognizance (PR) bonds, and issued notices to the prosecutor and investigating officer (IO) for confirmation or otherwise on August 11.

Earlier, the police had apprehended 12 party activists and nominated eight leaders who were yet to be arrested. However, all the detained activists were released a day earlier after a judicial magistrate granted them post-arrest bail.

According to police, on August 5, the suspects—along with over 500 activists—had blocked University Road and resorted to rioting with sticks, during which a policeman sustained injuries.

A case was registered at the PIB police station under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2025