ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has requested the arrival of all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislators captured regarding the party’s political convention on September 8.
The PTI individuals from the Public Get together (MNAs) were arrested at the Parliament House following the assembly and charged in cases documented at Sangjani police headquarters.
ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain granted post-arrest bail to the lawmakers, requiring surety bonds of Rs30,000 each.
During the proceedings, prosecutor Raja Naveed requested the court to deny bail, pointing out that Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) MNA Muhammad Ahmed Chattha was also implicated and that the charges carried a minimum sentence of three years. However, when the judge inquired whether any evidence had been recovered from lawmakers Sher Afzal Marwat, Ahmed Chattha, and others, the prosecutor responded that nothing had been found.
The police had arrested several PTI figures on September 8 and 9, following the rally in the federal capital. Among the arrested were Marwat, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Zain Qureshi, Chattha, Malik Aamir Dogar, Yousaf Khan, and Naeem Ali Shah.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and lawmaker Marwat were also detained outside Parliament for allegedly violating public assembly laws during the rally. While Gohar was released, Marwat remained in custody, charged with violating the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, and allegedly clashing with the police.
On September 12, ten arrested PTI MNAs were presented in the National Assembly after Speaker Ayaz Sadiq issued their production orders.
Background on PTI Lawmakers’ Arrests
PTI’s political gathering in Islamabad on September 8 saw clashes between party workers and police at Chungi No 26. Heavy police presence surrounded the parliament, with key routes into the Red Zone closed off.
Several PTI lawmakers, including Qureshi, Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman, and Zubair Khan, were arrested from the Parliament House premises. Cases were filed under the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024, at police stations in Noon Village and Sangjani. Additionally, 28 local leaders, including Seemabia Tahir and Raja Basharat, were also named in these cases.
