An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of bail applications of PTI stalwarts Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Umar Sarfaraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in cases related to May 9 violence until September 12. Dr. Yasmin had filed post-arrest bail petitions in four cases, including PML-N office and Shadman police station arson cases, and attack on the Askari Tower. Judge Abher Gul Khan directed PTI leader’s lawyers to give arguments on the next hearing. Case no 1271/23 had been registered against Dr. Yasmin and other party leaders at Gulberg police station of Lahore.

Similarly, case no 1280/23 had also been registered against her and other PTI leaders at the same police station. Likewise, case no 768/23 had been registered against the PTI stalwart and others at Shadman police station of Lahore. Case no 367/23 had been registered against Dr. Yasmin at Model Police Station of Lahore. On the other hand, an ATC also adjourned the hearing of bail petition filed by another senior PTI leader and former Punjab governor Umar Sarfaraz Cheema in the Askari Towar attack case until September 12. The court direct his lawyers to give arguments on the next hearing.Speaking in the courtroom, his counsel said that his client had nothing to do with an attack on the Askari Tower; therefore, he should be released on bail. 

Cheema, who is in jail on a judicial remand, is facing charges of attacking the Askari Tower in Gulberg and the Jinnah House in Lahore’s Cantonment area. Case no 1271/23 had been registered against him at Gulberg police station. Similarly, case no 96/23 had been registered against him at Sarwar Road police station. The court also adjourned the hearing of bail petitions filed by yet another senior PTI leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in cases of burning of Shadman police station and containers at Gulberg’s Kalima Chowk and Qila Chowk besides torching of police vans in Gulberg until September 12.The judge directed Rasheed’s lawyers to give arguments on the next hearing.  

Gulberg police had registered case no 1280/23 against him and other PTI leaders. Similarly, case no 1078/23 had been registered against him at Naseerabad police station of Lahore. Thousands of people came out on streets to vent their anger following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the Rangers personnel in Islamabad on May 9. They vandalized and even torched government and military installations besides damaging memorials of martyrs of the Pakistan Army.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)