Islamabad ATC Discharges PTI Workers Arrested Before Long March

ISLAMABAD: (Staff Reporter) – An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad on Saturday discharged all Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers arrested in connection with cases registered ahead of the party’s long march.

ATC Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Zul-Qarnain discharged the workers after police sought additional time to conduct identification parades.

During the hearing, lawyers representing the detainees opposed the police request, stating that the workers had remained in custody for more than 40 days.

The defence counsel told the court that police had repeatedly sought adjournments and failed to produce the detained workers during hearings. They maintained that the workers were innocent and had been deliberately arrested.

The lawyers further alleged that police could arrest anyone and identify them as a PTI worker at their discretion. They urged the court to ensure compliance with its previous order.

The workers had been arrested in cases registered at the Shalimar and Secretariat police stations in Islamabad.

In a separate development, a Special Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi on Friday cancelled the interim bail of PTI leader Naeem Haider Panjutha and former Member of the Provincial Assembly Fakhar Jahan due to their repeated absence from hearings in cases linked to political protests held in late 2024.

Panjutha faces two cases registered at Saddar Hasan Abdal Police Station. The court dismissed his interim bail applications after he repeatedly failed to appear at scheduled hearings.

Similarly, the court revoked Jahan’s interim bail in a case registered at Hazro Police Station concerning the November 26 protests, citing his continued non-appearance.