May 9 attacks: ATC orders release of 20 suspects

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court made significant decisions in a case related to the burning of police vehicles during the May 9 riots.

The court ordered the release of 20 individuals who were cleared of charges following an identification parade.

According to Dawn.com, the suspects who were released include Muhammad Naeem, Tayyab Khan, Shahzad Ashraf, Shahzar, Umar Zahoor, Hashaam Sajid, Mannan Ahmad, Asad Abbas, Haji Nawab, Jamal Mohammad, Abdul Moeed, Danish Bashir, Hameed Ishaq, Liaqat Ali, Ehtesham Ali, Mansoor Ahmad, Mohammad Adeel, Raheemullah Khan, and Haseeb Khalid.

However, 12 other suspects were granted a 14-day physical remand, and PTI social media activist Ayesha Ali Bhutta received a three-day physical remand. Another activist named Abdullah Wasim was released on bail.

During the identification parade, none of the prosecution witnesses were able to correctly identify the suspects, as confirmed by the investigating officer. The court agreed with this assessment and discharged the suspects from the case.

In a separate matter concerning the Jinnah House attack case, the judicial remand for 80 suspects was extended. These suspects were involved in attacking Jinnah House, torching police vehicles, and vandalizing public property during the May 9 riots. They will be presented in court again on September 2.

The case stems from protests that erupted after the arrest of the PTI Chairman on corruption charges. These protests led to the vandalism of military and civilian installations. The court’s decision to discharge suspects without proper identification underscores the significance of due process and evidence in legal proceedings.