Rioting case: Accused PML-N workers sent on judicial remand

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Lahore on Monday sent 11 Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) workers on judicial remand, accused for rioting in Lahore on the eve of Nawaz’s arrival.

During the case hearing against 11 PML-N workers, the legal counsel of accused maintained that the arrested PML-N workers neither possessed any instrument of terror nor were they present at the site of unrest.

“My clients were apprehended when some of them were out to purchase grocery and others were heading back to their homes,” the counsel stated.

After hearing the arguments, the court sent all the accused to prison on judicial remand.

President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif , former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq and other party leaders have been booked by police for allegedly instigating party workers to run riot during the party’s rally held to accord a warm welcome to former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter upon their arrival from London.

Lohari police registered a first information report (FIR) against  PML-N leaders. According to the FIR, the PML-N leader instigated party workers to rioting, attacks on security personnel and damaging public and private properties.

The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the law that deal with rioting, attempted murder, and vandalism.

Separately, as many as 20 FIRs were registered against a total of 400 PML-N leaders and workers for holding a rally in Faisalabad in violation of the ECP’s code of conduct and without permission.

Sharif along with his daughter landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport late Friday night from where they were taken to Islamabad on a private plane before being shifted to Adiala jail in a convoy of security vehicles.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested them as they returned from London via Abu Dhabi to face prison. Judicial magistrate Wasim Ahmed executed the warrants issued by Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir for their arrest.