ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former minister Shehryar Afridi till May 5 in a case registered against him in connection with the November 26 protest.
ATC judge Abual Muhammad Hasnat Zulqarain, while hearing the case, extended the interim bail of Afridi till May 5 and barred the police from arresting him in the relevant case registered at Karachi Company police station. During the hearing, the court accepted a request for exemption from personal appearance filed on behalf of Shehryar Afridi.
Afridi’s lawyers, Sardar Masroof Khan, Amna Ali, Zahid Bashir Dar, and Murtaza Toori appeared before the court.
The court noted that the bail pleas of other co-accused have already been adjourned till May 5 and stated that all bail petitions will be heard together on that date. Afridi is among several PTI leaders booked in connection with the protest held on November 26. The court has now adjourned further proceedings until May 5.
Meanwhile, the District and Sessions Courts on Wednesday completed recording the statements of 11 prosecution witnesses in cases filed under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order (PAPO) Act, 2024 against PTI workers in connection with the November 26 protest.
Judicial Magistrate Mureed Abbas conducted the hearing and recorded the statements of 11 prosecution witnesses in the case registered at Tarnol Police Station. According to the prosecution, only one witness remains to testify in this particular case.
Statements of key witnesses; including eyewitnesses, identification parade witnesses, and the investigating officer have already been recorded.
Special Public Prosecutor Barrister Fahad Arsalan Chaudhry and others appeared before the court. The court adjourned further hearing of the Tarnol case till today.
Meanwhile, two separate cases registered at Ramna Police Station were also scheduled for hearing but were postponed without proceedings due to the absence of Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shehzad Gondal.
The court has now scheduled the next hearing in these cases for April 18, during which more prosecution witnesses are expected to record their statements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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