Daily Times

A local court on Tuesday rejected the bails of PTI’s leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and others in a case registered by Tarnol Police Station.

Additional District and Session Judge Tahir Ali Sapra announced the verdict on the bail petitions of the accused. Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar also appeared before the court. Dramatic scenes were witnessed in the district and sessions court as central leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Qaiser and Asad Umar slipped from the courtroom after their pleas seeking bail in cases related to the May 9 riots were dismissed.

The PTI leaders reached the court separately. In a bid to avoid arrest and make sure of their successful escape, Qureshi and Umar heard the verdicts while standing at the doorstep of the courtroom. As soon as the judge rejected their bail pleas, the duo hurriedly moved to the same vehicle and managed to run away from the scene. Qaiser, however, left the courtroom moments before the judge pronounced the verdict which was reserved earlier. At the outset of the hearing, Qureshi’s lawyer Ali Bokhari Advocate said that a baseless case had been prepared against his client and he had no connections with the violation of section-144.

He said that neither his client was not present at the crime scene nor he instigated his party workers. He prayed the court to confirm the bail of Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the said case.

Prosecutor Zahid Asif said that the accused had instigated the protesters through his tweet and instructed them to come out for the agitation. He said that there was sufficient proof and material against Qureshi.

He further said that Asad Umar belonged to Islamabad’s constituency and his party workers came out for riot on his call. He prayed the court to terminate the bail petitions of both accused.

Shah Mehmood Quershi said that he had appealed to his party workers to protest in a peaceful manner. He said that he had not instigated workers to damage public property.

After hearing arguments, the court reserved its judgment and later terminated the interim bail petitions of the accused. The court also dismissed the bail petitions of co-accused including Nasir Mehmood, Khan Bahadar, Khalid Mehmood, Imtiaz, Jamsheed Mughal and Anwar Zaib.