pakistan

Asad Umar granted bail in cipher case

Published

8 months ago

September 14, 2023

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A special court set up under the Official Secrets Act accepted the pre-arrest bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar against Rs50,000 surety bond in the cipher case.

Special Prosecutor Shah Khawar intervened when Asad’s lawyer Salman Safdar was arguing the case and told the court that there was no evidence of his involvement in the case. So his arrest was not required in the case.

Advocate Babar Awan requested the court to confirm Asad’s bail if FIA did not have any evidence against him. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain accepted his plea and announced decision in the court.

The judge observed that according to the prosecution, there was no evidence against Asad Umar yet. Asad offered to join investigation but the prosecution did not initiate inquiry. According to FIA, Asad Umar’s arrest is not required.

The judge ordered the FIA to proceed according to the law. If his arrest was required, FIA would inform him before taking action.

The Assistant Special Prosecutors intervened and requested to start the hearing at 12 noon. But, Judge Abul Hasnat refused to oblige him and said the court would not follow his wish.

The assistant interrupted the judge and argued that Asad had to go to the FIA and it was not the FIA to approach him. Asad should have submitted the documents and gone to the investigating officer, he added.

Judge Abul Hasnat said that the law follows merit. The court would not follow your wishes. If you want to question him, do it in the court room. The court would dispense justice.

Asad came to the rostrum and told the court that the FIA summoned him twice, in December last and recently. He was interrogated for one and two hours, respectively. After questioning him, the FIA declared that he had no role the cipher case, the leader continued.

He termed the case against him political victimisation.

The judge turned down prosecution’s request for adjournment and said he would decide bails of Asad Umar, PTI Chairman and Shah Mehmood Qureshi today.

“File as many applications you want, I will announce the decisions on all the requests today.”

The Assistant Special Prosecutor then requested that the arguments on the three bails be heard together.

The judge said that two bails and one pre-arrest petitions would be heard separately. He asked the prosecutor if Asad has no role in the case, why he was nominated in the case.

“Why is Asad Umar’s bail application being opposed? Give a solid reason. There will be no compromise on the bail application,” the judged said.

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pakistan

Court reserves verdict on PTI founder’s bail plea in May 9 case

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Court reserves verdict on PTI founder's bail plea in May 9 case

The Islamabad district and sessions court has reserved verdict on the bail plea of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in the May 9 case.

Judicial Magistrate Omar Shabbir heard the case against the PTI leader registered in Shahzad Town police station.

Naeem Haider Panjhota, Sardar Masroof and Amina Ali appeared before the judge as counsel for the PTI leader.

The lawyers said the case against the PTI founder had not been pursued by an authorised officer. All cases against him had been instituted on the basis of politics and should, therefore, be quashed, they demanded.

The court after listening to the arguments reserved the verdict.

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pakistan

Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Rawalpindi court bins plea for initiating case against former commissioner Liaquat Chattha

The Rawalpindi Sessions Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a case against former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hakim Khan issued a two-page written order on the petition.

In its order, the court observed that apart from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a departmental inquiry was also being conducted against the former commissioner.

If the allegations were proven in the ECP and departmental inquiries, a legal action was certain, the order stated, adding that in this situation, there was no justification for registering a separate case against the former Rawalpindi commissioner.

Two lawyers from Rawalpindi had filed the petition seeking the registration of a case against former commissioner.

In a Feb 18 presser, the former commissioner admitted that elections in his division were “rigged”.

The commissioner accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja of being complicit in the rigging and asserted that he, along with the CEC and Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, deserved punishment, even the death penalty, for their injustice.

Chattha expressed remorse for forcing his subordinates to engage in wrongdoing and admitted that winning candidates were made to lose on 13 seats in the Rawalpindi division.

Later on Feb 23, Chattha retracted his earlier statement in a written statement submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In the statement, Chattha confessed to having supported the narrative of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) about rigging in the general elections and maligning state institutions in exchange for a lucrative position in the future.

He stated he had been made this offer by a Lahore-based PTI leader with whom he had developed a close friendship.

Chattha alleged that “this entire planning had been formulated after consultation and approval of the senior leadership of PTI”.

He stated that this proposal was made by the said [PTI] individual in consideration of the fact that he was about to retire from service after having remained a part of the services for 32 years and enjoyed all the perks and privileges.

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pakistan

IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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IHC orders Zartaj Gul to appear before court with record in ECL name removal case

Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought the record from Zartaj Gul’s counsel on a petition seeking the name removal of PTI leader and MNA Zartaj Gul from the Exit Control List (ECL).

IHC’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the case on Zartaj Gul’s name removal from ECL.

During the hearing, the state counsel stated that Zartaj Gul’s name has been included in the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

Upon inquiry from the court, the state counsel informed that Zartaj Gul’s name was included in PNIL on the order of Islamabad and Punjab police, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was responsible for including the name in PNIL.

Also read: PTI’s Shibli Faraz, Raja Basharat, Zartaj Gul secure bail in May 9 cases

State counsel added that five cases were registered against Zartaj Gul in Islamabad and Punjab.

The petitioner’s counsel, Advocate Usama, disclosed that Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in those cases. He reiterated that the name was being included in the PNIL list despite being on bail.

During the hearing, Justice Tariq Jahangiri inquired about how many cases Zartaj Gul has been granted bail in and ordered the petitioner to appear before the court in the next hearing.

Consequently, IHC has adjourned the case hearing until next week by directing Zartaj Gul’s counsel to appear before the court in the next hearing with records.

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