IHC grants interim bail to PTI’s Asad Qaiser in May 9 riots case

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted interim bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser until July 13 in a case related to May 9 violent protests.

The riots were triggered almost across the country after PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s arrest in the £190 million Al-Qadir Trust case on May 9 which led to the deaths of at least eight people and injured several others, prompting the authorities to arrest thousands of PTI workers.

During the protests, the miscreants attacked the civil and military installations including — Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt and the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.

The military called May 9 “Black Day” and has decided to try the protesters under the Army Act, with Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir saying that the legal process in this regard has already begun.

Besides others, a case was registered against the former NA speaker over the May 9-10 violent protests at Islamabad’s Sangjani Police Station.

On June 21, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted transit bail to Qaiser until July 3 in the case.

Meanwhile, the PTI leader moved the IHC seeking interim bail in the case registered against him at the Islamabad police station. In his petition, Qaiser stated that political cases based on malicious intention were registered against him.

“I am nominated in the fake case due to my political affiliation with the PTI,” read the plea.

After hearing the petition, the court approved his bail plea in the case.

Earlier, during his interaction with a journalist upon his arrival at the IHC, Qaiser said, “I am in the PTI. The PTI is my party. The party has already responded to Pervez Khattak’s statements.”

Lashing out at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led ruling alliance, the PTI leader said that the condition of the common man has worsened and they were making decisions in Dubai.

Last week, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) top leaders, Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz in Dubai as Pakistani bigwigs are in the Gulf nation for mulling over “important” political matters.

The stalwarts of both the PML-N and the PPP have engaged in closed-door, off-camera sessions to discuss various options aimed at containing and managing public sentiments, and ensuring the absence of any destabilising void that could potentially undermine civilian governance.

The PTI leader was of the view that the nation will make a decision but not the ruling alliance.

“People will decide who will rule where,” Qaiser added. Stressing the need for fear elections, the PTI leader said that the general elections will clear the situation.

He urged the government to share the details of the International Monetary Fund accord with the people, adding that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Ahsan Iqbal had been opposing the IMF deal in the assembly.