An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday sentenced 82 PTI workers to four months imprisonment and a fine of Rs15,000 each, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to the violent protest on November 26.
The protest on November 26, 2024, was aimed at pressuring the government to release the PTI founder. The 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician has been incarcerated since August 2023, facing multiple cases ranging from corruption to terrorism following his removal from power via the opposition’s no-confidence vote in April 2022.
The former ruling party’s three-day protests were abruptly halted after intense clashes erupted between law enforcement and the protesters, resulting in the martyrdom of at least three Rangers personnel and one policeman.
The 82 accused confessed to the crime before the judge and submitted an affidavit stating that the PTI leadership had incited them to protest.
Seeking leniency, the PTI workers informed the court that they were poor laborers and stated that the local and central leadership of the former ruling party had provoked them to stage violent protests.
In a written statement, the accused assured the court that they would not participate in any future protests.
It is important to note that during the hearings, out of the 1,609 defendants who appeared in court, 560 were formally charged.
SC Approves Bail Pleas of Ejaz Chaudhry and Farhat Abbas
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court approved the bail applications of Senator Ejaz Chaudhry and Farhat Abbas in connection with the May 9 cases, directing them to submit surety bonds of Rs100,000 each in the trial court.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan heard the bail petitions of the accused involved in the May 9 incidents.
During the hearing, the special prosecutor argued that Senator Ejaz was part of a conspiracy to incite people. However, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan remarked that if the case against Ejaz was so strong, it should have been presented before a special court. He further stated that bail should not be used as a form of punishment.
Subsequently, the court granted bail to Senator Ejaz, ordering the submission of Rs100,000 in surety bonds to the trial court.
In a separate hearing regarding Farhat Abbas’s bail plea, the special prosecutor informed the court that Abbas was also accused of involvement in the May 9 conspiracy and had been declared an absconder by the trial court. Justice Afghan responded that whether or not Abbas was an absconder was a matter for the relevant court to decide. He added that since the investigation had been completed and the charge sheet submitted, there was no longer a justification for arrest.
The prosecutor assured the court that the trial could be completed within four months, to which Justice Afghan remarked, “Then complete the trial in four months.”
The bench later approved bail for Farhat Abbas as well.
