F.P. Report
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Raoof Hasan has been released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after he secured bail from an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The ATC issued mandamus (robkar) for Hasan’s release after approving his bail plea in a terror financing case earlier in the day. His counsels Shaista Khosa and Raja Yasir Rauf received him outside the Rawalpindi prison.
Earlier, ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra approved the PTI politician’s bail petition against surety bonds worth Rs200,000. Hasan was named in the case in light of the statement of co-accused PTI International Media Coordinator Ahmed Waqas Janjua for his alleged role in providing financial support to terrorists. The court, on August 3, had dismissed the bail plea of Janjua.
Meanwhile, the PTI secretary general was sent on a 14-day judicial remand at the Adiala Jail after court orders on Saturday in the aforementioned case. On July 22, the politician and others were taken into custody by the Islamabad Police and subsequently handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Hasan was not initially named in the terrorism FIR but was arrested based on Janjua’s statement — alleging he gave him Rs300,000 to spread terror — on July 31.
Bukhari contended that physical remand was unnecessary for recovering the money. At the hearing today, Hasan was being represented by his lawyer Ali Bukhari and party lawyer-turned-lawmaker Ali Zafar, while Prosecutor Raja Naveed was also present at the court. At the outset of the case’s hearing, Hasan’s lawyer said that his client was not named in the case and that his name was later added to it.
Addressing the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) investigating officer of the case, Judge Sipra asked: “Was the third suspect arrested?” The officer responded saying that the third accused had not yet been arrested. Meanwhile, PTI leader Ali Zafar lamented the filing of cases by opponents for political vengeance. Prosecutor Naveed told the court that Hasan was named in the case immediately after Janjua’s statement was recorded.
