Court sentences 82 PTI workers in Nov protests case

ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Rawalpindi sentenced 82 individuals to four months in prison for their involvement in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests held on November 24 and 26, 2024.

The verdict followed the accused’s confessions before the court. Additionally, the court imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 on each of the convicted individuals. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah presided over the hearing, which encompassed 24 cases related to the protests.

The court also dismissed the bail applications of 1,049 absent accused persons, with prosecutor Zaheer Shah asserting that the individuals were deliberately hindering the progress of the trial. Furthermore, the bail petitions of 25 accused, already under trial, were rejected. In total, the court rejected 1,074 bail applications.

The court ordered the blocking of the identity cards and freezing of bank accounts of the 1,074 accused. Arrest warrants were also issued for these individuals.

During the proceedings, prosecutor Zaheer Shah presented the argument that PTI leader Shandana Gulzar, who had claimed to be a lawyer, was obstructing the judicial process. As a Member of the National Assembly (MNA), she was accused of interfering with the court’s operations. In response, the court issued a contempt of court notice to Gulzar, and the case was adjourned until the following week.

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In light of the upcoming hearing, Judge Amjad Ali Shah directed the police to ensure robust security measures. The court also recommended the deployment of anti-riot forces, citing potential law and order concerns.