An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi on Friday sentenced 82 workers from Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) to four months in prison and imposed a fine of RS15,000 each after they declared themselves guilty of participating in violent protests on November 26, 2024.
The protest, organized to press the Government to release the founder of PTI imprisoned, became violent, which led to confrontations with the police who claimed the life of three Rangers personnel and a policeman. The three -day protest campaign of the party stopped abruptly due to violence.
The defendant admitted his participation in the riots and presented affidavits that indicated that they were prompted by PTI’s leadership. When describing themselves as poor workers, they requested clemency and promised not to participate in future protests.
The founder and former Prime Minister of PTI, Imran Khan, has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing numerous positions that include corruption and terrorism, after their dismissal through a vote without confidence in April 2022.
During judicial procedures, 560 of 1,609 total defendants were formally accused.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court granted bonds to Senator PTI Ejaz Chaudhry and the Farhat Abbas party member in cases related to the violence of May 9, after the arrest of the head of PTI.
A three -members bank led by Judge Naeem Akhtar Afghan approved bail requests, ordering both men who submit bail bonds of RS100,000 each to the Court of First Instance.
The Court rejected the special prosecutor’s argument that the Ejaz senator was involved in a conspiracy, and the Afghan judge said: “If the case is so strong, it must be taken to a special court. The bond cannot be used as punishment.”
Similarly, the court dismissed the prosecutor’s statement that Ferhat was absorber, stating that the Court of First Instance should decide the matter. Since the investigation had concluded and the charges had been presented, “there is no justification for additional arrest,” Judge Afghan observed.
The court instructed the trial to be completed within four months.
