Urdu Report Desk
An Islamabad anti-terrorism court has ordered the discharge of all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers detained in connection with cases registered during the party’s long march.
The order covers workers sent to judicial custody for identification parades in cases registered at Shalimar and Secretariat police stations.
Court Rejects Police Request for Further Delay
Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abul Hasanat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the cases on Saturday. Lawyers representing PTI workers and the investigation team presented their arguments during the proceedings.
At the beginning of the hearing, the investigating officer requested another adjournment to conduct identification parades of the accused. PTI’s lawyers strongly opposed the request.
Lawyers Cite Prolonged Detention
PTI lawyer Sardar Muhammad Masroof argued that more than 40 days had passed since the workers were arrested, but the police continued to seek adjournments at every hearing. He also complained that the detained workers were not being produced before the court.
Lawyers Murtaza Turi and Zahid Bashir Dar argued that the workers were innocent and alleged that police could arrest citizens and portray them as PTI supporters. They urged the court to ensure compliance with its previous order.
Court Orders Discharge of PTI Workers
After hearing the arguments, the court accepted the defence lawyers’ request and rejected the police application for further delay.
The court formally ordered the discharge of all PTI workers placed in judicial custody for identification parades in the cases registered at Shalimar and Secretariat police stations, paving the way for their release in these cases.
