An antiterrorism court (ATC) in Karachi granted interim bail to four leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in connection with the violence that occurred on May 9. The court, during a hearing on Friday, heard the bail applications of PTI leaders Firdos Shamim Naqvi, Khurram Sher Zaman, Raja Azhar, and Muhammad Faizan. The four leaders had filed their applications for pre-arrest bail through their respective lawyers, Shujat Ali and Nazeerullla.
In May, the court had canceled bail bonds for several top PTI leaders and issued non-bailable warrants for their arrest, including 11 high-ranking party members from Karachi. These actions followed the dismissal of their condonation applications. However, on Friday, after reviewing the submissions of the lawyers, the court granted the interim bail to the four leaders against a surety bond of Rs100,000 each. The hearing was adjourned until December 9, when the court will decide whether to confirm or revoke the interim bail.
Meanwhile, the investigating officer (IO) handling the case registered at the Ferozabad police station produced former PTI MNA Alamgir Khan Mehsud in court. Mehsud was arrested and presented before the ATC judge at the Central Prison Karachi. The court ordered that he be sent to jail on judicial remand. Mehsud’s lawyer also filed a post-arrest bail application, which will be heard on December 9.
The developments mark a significant legal progression in the aftermath of the May 9 violence, with both interim bail being granted to certain PTI leaders and judicial action continuing against those arrested in the case.
