ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday discharged all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers arrested in connection with cases registered ahead of the party’s long march.
ATC Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Zul-Qarnain discharged the workers from the cases after police sought more time to conduct identification parades.
During the hearing, lawyers representing the workers opposed the police request, arguing that the detainees had been in custody for more than 40 days.
Counsel told the court that police had repeatedly sought adjournments and had failed to produce the detained workers during hearings. They maintained that the workers were innocent and had been arrested deliberately.
The lawyers also alleged that police could arrest anyone and label them a PTI worker at their discretion. They urged the court to ensure compliance with its previous order.
The workers had been arrested in cases registered at Shalimar and Secretariat police stations in Islamabad.
In a separate development, a Special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday cancelled the interim bails of PTI leader Naeem Haider Panjutha and former Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Fakhar Jahan over their repeated absence from hearings in cases related to political protests held in late 2024.
Panjutha faces two cases registered at Saddar Hasan Abdal Police Station. The court dismissed his interim bail applications after he repeatedly failed to appear at scheduled hearings.
Similarly, the court revoked Jahan’s interim bail in a case registered at Hazro Police Station concerning the November 26 protests, citing his continued non-appearance.
Hearings in the remaining protest-related cases were adjourned to a later date.
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