PTI’s Nov 26th protest: ATC rejects petition of accused in hit-and-run case

ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Friday rejected a petition filed by the main accused of the hit-and-run case of Rangers personnel during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s November 26, 2024, protests seeking to halt the trial.

The ATC judge, while hearing the case, rejected the petition of the main suspect, Muhammad Hashim Abbasi, who had allegedly run over the Rangers personnel with a vehicle during PTI’s November 26 protest, requesting to halt the trial as he [the suspect] is mentally unfit to stand trial.

The petition says that the accused, Hashim Abbasi, is mentally unfit; therefore, the trial cannot proceed.

However, the prosecutor, Raja Naveed and Jawad Adil, objected to the petition, arguing that no credible evidence had been presented to support the claim of mental illness.

According to the court’s decision, no official medical history was provided to substantiate Abbasi’s claim of mental instability.

Instead, a certificate from a private clinic regarding the use of narcotics was submitted, which the court deemed insufficient.

The ruling further noted that Abbasi did not cite any medical grounds or ongoing treatment during his bail period.

The court consequently dismissed the request and adjourned further proceedings in the case till September 2.

The case registered at the Ramna police station under Section 302 (murder), Section 324 (murder attempt) Section 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), Section 114 (abettor present when offence is committed), and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, besides 7ATA of Anti-Terrorism Act.

PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Omar Ayub, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Salman Akram Raja, Zulfi Bukhari, Hammad Azhar, Raoof Hassan, and other leadership have been nominated in the First Information Report (FIR).

The FIR alleged that the PTI founding chairman continuously issued instructions to the party leadership, his wife Bushra Bibi, Gandapur and his sister Aleema Khan for making all-out efforts to get him released from jail and they could set anything on fire or kill anyone for this purpose.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025