LAHORE  -  An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday dismissed applications filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Dr Yasmin Rashid, challenging their indictment in a May 9 case related to provocative speeches and vandalism at Sherpao Bridge.

The court adjourned further proceedings of the case till December 3 and summoned the prosecution witnesses for recording their statements at the next hearing. ATC Judge Arshad Javed announced the decision on the applications of the PTI leaders following the completion of arguments by both parties. The court conducted the trial proceedings at Kot Lakhpat Jail, where the court staff marked the attendance of the accused. In its arguments, the prosecution stated that the accused were indicted as per law and argued that the applications were filed with the intention of delaying the trial proceedings. It requested the court to dismiss the applications. Moreover, the prosecution sought time to produce witnesses for recording their statements, citing the absence of witnesses. Subsequently, the court dismissed applications and adjourned further proceedings till December 3, summoning the witnesses.

It is pertinent to mention here that the court had already recorded the statements of 14 witnesses so far in the case. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Omar Sarfraz Cheema, Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, and others had been indicted in the case. The Sarwar Road police had registered the case against the PTI leaders and workers on charges of vandalism and provocative speeches at Sherpao Bridge during the May 9 violence.

Also, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday sent nine Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers to jail on a 14-day judicial remand in connection with a November 24 protest case registered by Kasur police. Earlier, Mustafa Abad police from District Kasur presented the accused workers before ATC Judge Manzar Ali Gill upon the expiry of their physical remand. The investigation officer informed the court that wooden clubs had been recovered from the accused, and further custody was required for the recovery of vehicles and weapons. He pleaded with the court to extend the physical remand of the accused for this purpose. However, the counsel for the accused opposed the remand request. Subsequently, the court rejected the plea for further remand and sent the accused to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

 The court ordered the production of the accused upon the expiry of the remand.

The PTI workers, including Salah-ud-Din Bhatti, Mehr Abid Ali, Mian Hamid Mukhtar, Shahbaz Ansari, Irfan Hamid, Ahmad Ayaz Kasuri, and Safdar Iqbal, among others, were arrested by Mustafa Abad police from District Kasur.