ATC grants bail to Arif Alvi, Shireen Mazari and Asad Umar in 2014 sit-in cases

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday granted bail to three senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) including Arif Alvi, Shireen Mazari and Asad Umar in four cases related to the attack on the Pakistan Television (PTV) and then SSP Islamabad (Operations) Asmatullah Junejo during the 2014 sit-in in the federal capital.

ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand was hearing the cases against PTI chief Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri alongside the three leaders when granted bail to them against Rs100,000 surety bonds each.

This was the first appearance of Alvi, Mazari and Umar in the cases to seek pre-arrest bail.

Earlier on Nov 14, the ATC had granted bail to Imran Khan after he surrendered before the court.

Judge Shahrukh Arjumand had approved the bail for Khan against a surety of Rs200,000 in each case and directed him to cooperate with the investigation officer in connection with investigation of the cases.

Police had booked Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri along with their supporters in a number of cases during the 2014 sit-in calling for the resignation of the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

In a case, 70 people were booked after a mob of protesters belonging to the PTI and PAT stormed PTV headquarters and forced its staff to take two of the state broadcaster’s flagship channels — PTV News and PTV World — off the air on Sept 1, 2014.

The protesters were also charged with attacking government properties including the Parliament House building.

Another case related to the attack on then-Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Asmatullah Junejo who was on duty at the sit-in.