Lahore ATC directs Asad Umar, 5 different PTI leaders to look earlier than JIT on Zaman Park clashes – Pakistan
A Lahore Anti-Terrorism Courtroom on Friday directed six PTI leaders, together with PTI Secretary Common Asad Umar, to look earlier than a joint investigation workforce (JIT) fashioned to probe the March 18 Zaman Park clashes that happened between PTI supporters and the Punjab police.
On March 18, as PTI Chairman Imran Khan had left his Zaman Park residence in Lahore to look earlier than a decide in Islamabad, a heavy contingent of police had launched a search operation at his home, resulting in clashes between his celebration supporters and the police.
Beforehand, on March 29, a Lahore ATC had cancelled the interim pre-arrest bail of PTI leaders Umar and Farrukh Habib in one other case of attacking police events with petrol bombs and stones exterior Zaman Park as they failed to show up.
As we speak, the Lahore ATC issued these directives because it heard a plea of PTI leaders Umar, Yasmin Rashid, Zubair Niazi, Hassaan Niazi, Musarrat Cheema and Mian Javed Aslam Iqbal asking for an extension of their interim bail in a case of misbehaving with authorities officers and inflicting harm exterior Zaman Park.
ATC Choose Abher Gul presided over the listening to whereas Barrister Salman Safdar appeared because the counsel for PTI leaders.
Earlier immediately, the court docket directed the PTI leaders to file their statements within the JIT and had adjourned the listening to until 10am. It directed the leaders to look earlier than the JIT this afternoon, the court docket prolonged their interim bail within the case until April 27.
The hearing
At the outset of the hearing, JIT chief SSP Imran Kishwar informed the court that only Umar had joined the investigation process and “no one other than him” had done so.
The court then directed the suspects to join the investigation today. At this, SSP Kishwar said, “All suspects may come to our office and join the investigation.”
Barrister Safdar then said, “All persons can join the investigation in the court as well.” The court then directed SSP Kishwar to record the suspects’ statements and adjourned the hearing till 10am.
Upon the resumption of the hearing, SSP Kishwar informed the court that all suspects had recorded their statements and that they needed to be questioned in the presence of witnesses.
The court then directed the suspects to appear in the JIT at 2:30pm today and extended their interim bail till April 27.
At this point during the hearing, Rashid said, “There are election-related duties. Please give an appropriate date [for the next hearing].”
Judge Gul dismissed the plea saying that “election and this has to go hand in hand”.
Clashes outside Imran’s residence
On March 17, the LHC had allowed Punjab Inspector Common Dr Usman Anwar to look Imran’s Zaman Park residence for an investigation into attacks on police teams after they had gone there to execute warrants issued by an Islamabad court docket for Imran’s arrest within the Toshakhana case.
The subsequent day, the Punjab police had used building equipment to interrupt into Imran’s Zaman Park residence — whereas his spouse and sister have been inside — quickly after the PTI chairman left for Islamabad to attend a hearing in the Toshakhana case.
Speaking to reporters, Dr Uzma Khanum — the previous premier’s sister — whereas complaining in regards to the police “highhandedness”, had stated the police carried out the operation with out warrants and allegedly harassed ladies and tortured servants.
Dr Khanum had stated the policemen “appeared bloodthirsty” as they brutally thrashed unarmed individuals in the home and alleged that the police additionally kidnapped her husband and a few servants.
The PTI management had additionally strongly condemned the “state terrorism” launched at Imran’s home which they claimed was a part of the agenda set by PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz to arrest Imran.
Senior celebration chief Fawad Chaudhry had stated the operation was in sheer violation of the LHC’s orders because the police didn’t inform the court docket’s nominated focal particular person Imran Kishwar earlier than the raid.
He had additional stated the residence’s gates have been razed with the assistance of excavators, whereas police officers scaled partitions and tortured individuals inside the home.
The identical day, Punjab Inspector Common (IG) Dr Usman Anwar had said that “ammunition” — together with petrol bombs — was recovered from Imran’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore in the course of the police raid.
He had stated the police arrested individuals who have been concerned in “firing slingshots and pelting stones” on the police and instances below Part 7 of the ATA have been registered towards them.
Caretaker Punjab Info Minister Amir Mir had additionally stated that instances have been registered towards the “rioting components” as that they had induced nice harm to property.
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