Qureshi gets bail, IK summoned in terror cases

• Shah Mahmood Qureshi advises political parties to refrain from ‘horse-trading’
• ATC summons PTI chief Imran Khan on Feb 15 in Junejo attack case, on Feb 26 in the remaining cases

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Wednesday granted interim bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in cases related to violence during a sit-in the capital in 2014, while summoning PTI Chairman Imran Khan on February 15 in SSP Junejo attack case—one of the four cases registered during 2014 sit-in.

The court is hearing four cases pertaining to violence, including the destruction of property in the Red Zone, attack on the state TV channel’s building and injuring then-SSP Operations Asmatullah Junejo during the 2014 protest.

The cases were filed against leaders of the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

IK SUMMONED:

The court summoned Imran Khan on February 15 in a case related to violence during a sit-in the capital in 2014.

ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand conducted the proceedings and summoned Imran on Feb 15 in the Junejo attack case and on Feb 26 in the remaining cases.

At present, Imran is out on bail in the case.

On Tuesday, an interim charge-sheet was submitted by the Police Secretariat before an ATC hearing into the 2014 sit-in violence cases.

PTI chief Imran Khan was named as the chief suspect in the charge sheet; a list of 14 witnesses and CCTV footage of the attack on the SSP has also been included in the charge-sheet.

QURESHI GETS BAIL:

Meanwhile, Shah Mehmood Qureshi was granted bail by the court after he surrendered in four terrorism cases.

Following in the footsteps of his party chief and other leaders, Qureshi appeared before the ATC — the first time since being nominated — and requested the court to grant him interim bail. Judge Shahrukh Arjumand ordered the PTI vice chairman to submit Rs100,000 in surety bonds.

Qureshi, who appeared in the court for the first time in two years, surrendered before the court following which he was ordered to pay a surety bond worth Rs100,000.

ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand approved the bail for the PTI leader until February 8.

The court issued orders to Qureshi, Umar, Mazari and Alvi to appear before the ATC on February 8.

Talking to the media after the hearing, Qureshi claimed that the cases against him were “baseless” and “politically motivated”.

However, he insisted that institutions of state must be respected in order to strengthen the country.

On January 17, the court granted bail to PTI leaders Shireen Mazari, Arif Alvi and Asad Umar in cases of terrorism after the three leaders approached the court to get bail before arrest.

Mazari, Umar and Alvi are among at least 28 others that have been nominated in the cases.

‘HORSE TRADING AN UGLY STAIN’:

Referring to PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s recent statement where he claimed a Seraiki province could solve many problems in Punjab, Qureshi said that the party could have formed a Seraiki province during its term from 2008-2012. He was talking to the media outside the ATC.

He also took a jibe at the PPP’s claim to elect six Senators from Balochistan, wondering how a party that has no representation in the province, could elect six Senators from it. He advised political parties to refrain from horse-trading because it was an “ugly stain”.