Shah Mehmood, Asad Umar granted transit bail in riots case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday granted transit bail to former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and former federal minister Asad Umar until June 23 in a case registered by the Islamabad police over the May 9 violent protests, ARY News reported.

Justice Waqar Ahmad of a single-member bench accepted the joint petition of the two former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers for pre-arrest transit bail and stopped police from arresting PTI leaders till Friday.

The court also asked PTI leaders to appear before Islamabad High Court (IHC) in riots case tomorrow.

The PTI leaders moved PHC days after the district and sessions court in Islamabad dismissed their bail petitions in cases related to May 9 riots.

Judge Tahir Abbasi Supra dismissed the bail petitions of PTI leaders in two separate cases registered at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station.

Following the verdict, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umar hurriedly walked towards their vehicle and left the court premises.

The judge took up the bail pleas of Umar and Qureshi, along with that of another suspect, Khan Bahadur, all three of whom were booked in a case registered at Islamabad’s Tarnol police station.

During the hearing, the court order said, the counsel for the petitioners argued that his clients were “innocent” and “falsely involved” in this case.

He contended that the case against them was a result of “mala fide” and an “ulterior motive on part of the complainant and police”.

On these grounds, he prayed the court to accept the bail pleas so that ad-interim pre-arrest bail already granted to their clients may be confirmed.

Meanwhile, public prosecutor contested the counsel’s arguments and sought the dismissal of bail pleas.

After hearing arguments of both sides, the court issued its ruling, observing that the grant of bail at this stage would hamper the process of investigation and dismissed the bail pleas.

It is pertinent to mention here that violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief was arrested from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises on May 9.