Hassan Niazi granted interim bail in PIC attack case

F.P. Report

LAHORE: An anti –terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday granted interim bail to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nephew, Hassan Niazi, till January 6 in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) attack case.

Earlier, the court had cancelled the bail granted to Niazi for turning up late before the court. Niazi had stated that the delay had occurred due to the security checking at the court doors, adding that he had nothing to do with the PIC attack.

On December 20, the ATC had had granted interim bail to Niazi in the PIC attack case.

A group of more than 200 lawyers, following an earlier quarrel with the PIC staff that escalated into a brawl, had stormed the hospital last month, vandalised property and damaged dozens of vehicles. They had also set ablaze a police van during their assault.

Three people had lost their lives amidst the mayhem as doctors abandoned their patients to escape the mob.

Police had registered an FIR against 200-250 unidentified lawyers on the complaint of an official of the PIC.

The cases had been registered under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 322 (qatl-bis-sabab), 452 (trespassing), 353 (assault to deter public servant from performing duty), 354 (assault on woman to outrage her modesty), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 395 (dacoity) as well as Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).