PTI’s Azam Swati granted bail in protest-related terrorism case

English , Snippets , / Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati in a case filed under terrorism provisions. The case, registered at Sangjani Police Station, charged Swati with terrorism-related offences following protests and vandalism. Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Muhammad Zulkernain presided over the case and approved Swati’s post-arrest bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000. Swati had been detained under terrorism clauses following allegations of inciting protests that led to property damage. Swati’s legal team maintained that the charges were politically motivated. Meanwhile, an ATC ordered the publication of a newspaper advertisement against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur in the ongoing case related to vandalism charges during the so-called Azadi March yesterday. The court has initiated proceedings under Section 87 of the Criminal Procedure Code to declare the K-P CM, Ali Amin Gandapur, a proclaimed offender. The hearing was conducted by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain. The court summoned Ali Amin Gandapur through an advertisement to appear on November 21. It is noteworthy that the court has already issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Ali Amin Gandapur. Including CM Gandapur, around 350 PTI leaders and activists, including Azam Swati, Omar Ayub, and Barrister Saif, were charged with blocking GT Road and engaging in vandalism during the Azadi March. A total of 12 cases, including terrorism and attempted murder, have been registered across multiple police stations in Islamabad. The FIR states that under the orders of Imran Khan and Ali Amin Gandapur, approximately 3,000 PTI workers marched to Srinagar Highway, armed and chanting anti-state slogans. Swati, along with PTI’s jailed premier Imran and K-P CM Gandapur have been named in a murder case involving Constable Abdul Hamid Shah. The constable was critically injured in a clash with PTI workers and later died at PIMS. The case accuses Ali Amin Gandapur of using state resources for an armed assault against the federal government, while Swati is charged with financially supporting armed groups. Similarly, earlier this month, a case was registered against Imran Khan and several party leaders and workers under serious charges of “rebellion and terrorism”. The case was filed at the Islam Pura police station on October 6, accusing former premier Imran, along with 200 party members, of inciting “violence against the state”. Among the named individuals in the FIR are prominent PTI lawmakers, including Hamad Azhar, Salman Akram Raja, Ghulam Mohiuddin, MPA Shahbaz, Musrat Jamshed Cheema, Sheikh Imtiaz, Ali Imtiaz, and Shabbir Gujjar. According to the FIR, Imran allegedly incited these leaders from jail, urging them to “promote violence against the state”, which led to protests and vandalism. The police reported that PTI activists injured a constable, Bilal, during the demonstrations, and 16 agitators were detained at the scene. Despite the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore and four other cities, banning all political gatherings, PTI supporters turned out in large numbers. The government had also deployed Rangers in Lahore, setting up roadblocks with containers and putting police and paramilitary forces on high alert.