An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday declared Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Mian Aslam Iqbal as proclaimed offender (PO) and issued his perpetual arrest warrants in the Askari Tower attack case. ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill passed the orders on an application filed by the Gulberg police for this purpose. The investigation officer submitted that extensive efforts had been made to arrest the accused, but he could not be apprehended as he had gone into hiding to avoid arrest.

He submitted that the accused had already been declared a proclaimed offender in several cases related to the May 9 incidents and requested the court to declare him a proclaimed offender in the Askari Tower attack case as well. Upon this, the court accepted the investigation officer’s plea, declared Mian Aslam Iqbal a proclaimed offender, and issued his perpetual arrest warrants in the case. The Gulberg police had registered a case against PTI leaders and workers on charges of attacking the Askari Tower during the May 9 riots.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan