An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday barred police from arresting former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesman Raoof Hasan in four cases related to the party’s November 26 protest.
ATC judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain presided over the hearing and granted Hasan pre-arrest bail and postponed further proceedings.
The cases against him are registered at the Aabpara, Karachi Company, Margalla, and Ramna police stations in Islamabad.
During the hearing, Hasan appeared alongside his lawyer, Ayesha Khalid. The defence argued that the prosecution had yet to present the case records, making arguments impossible at this stage.
The judge directed authorities to ensure the records are available at the next hearing.
The court adjourned proceedings for the cases registered at Aabpara, Karachi Company, and Margalla police stations until May 5. The hearing for the Ramna police station case was postponed until April 8.
Hasan, a former PTI spokesperson, is facing legal challenges following the party’s November 26 protest.
On November 26, 2024, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organised a protest near D-Chowk in Islamabad. The demonstration escalated into violence, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies.
In response, multiple first information reports (FIRs) were filed across various police stations in the federal capital, including Raman, Khanna, Kohsar, Secretariat, Tarnol, Karachi Company, and Aabpara.
These FIRs named several PTI leaders, among them Bushra Bibi, Zartaj Gul, Alia Hamza, Sher Afzal Murawat, Salman Akram Raja, Shoaib Shaheen, Abdul Qayyum Niazi, Nadia Khattak, and Rauf Hassan. The charges pertained to their alleged involvement in the violent incidents during the protest. S
Subsequently, these leaders sought interim bail to avoid arrest.
