LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday granted three days physical remand of PTI jailed leaders including Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid, former provincial minister Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed and Senator Ijaz Chaudhry to police again in cases related to May 9 riots including attack on Corps Commander House after addition of new offences of mutiny and waging a war in the FIRs.

Meanwhile, the court also granted three-day physical remand of 68 suspects including Khadija Shah, former MNA Alia Hamza, activists Sanam Javed and Tayyaba Raja in the Corps Commander House attack case.

The court, however, turned down a request of Gulberg police for fresh physical remand of former governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema and Khadija Shah in Askari Tower attack case. Earlier, the Investigating Officer (IO) told the court that fresh physical remand of suspects was required for investigation in the cases as some new provisions including mutiny have been added to the FIRs.

The counsel of the PTI leaders opposing the remand said the suspects are already in jail for the last three months; hence their investigation could be conducted in the jail. He, therefore, asked the court to reject the plea of remand.

The prosecutor however said custody of the suspects was essential for fresh investigation under new charges added to the FIR. The court allowed three days remand of the suspects and directed the IO to submit their challan immediately. The IO told the court that challan against the suspects had been handed over to the prosecution department for scrutiny and would be produced before the court soon. The ATC had also allowed arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan in cases related to May 9 riots.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023