PTI challenges Hassaan Niazi's two-day remand

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s legal team Tuesday decided to challenge the two-day physical remand of Hassaan Niazi, party chairman Imran Khan’s nephew and focal person on legal affairs, who was arrested for misbehaving with the police a day earlier in Islamabad.

The development came after judicial magistrate Abbas Shah approved Niazi’s two-day remand at the district and sessions court in the federal capital. The police, however, had requested a seven-day remand after presenting the PTI leader in the court but their request was rejected.

The PTI’s plea will be heard by sessions judge Nasir Javed Rana.

Geo News reported that Niazi was still present in the judicial magistrate’s court.

Earlier today, Khan’s focal person on legal affairs was presented before the court where he was being represented by his counsels Ali Bukhari, Qaiser Imam and Sher Afzal Marwat.

Niazi was, a day earlier, arrested from outside an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad for "misbehaving with the police and resisting" at a check post. The police then shifted him to an unknown location.

Niazi's arrest came after his appearance at the ATC where a hearing of cases registered at Islamabad's Ramna Police Station against PTI leaders and workers was being held.

Meanwhile, Advocate Faisal Chaudhry has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the release of the PTI leader. The petition stated that "police abducted Hasaan Niazi from the premises of Judicial Complex after he obtained bail in a case."

Today's hearing

Hassaan Niazi’s lawyer told the court that as per the case, Khan’s focal person broke the barrier set up near the ATC and threatened the policeman. He added that the case also states that the lawyer resisted the police during frisking.

Niazi’s counsel shared that his client was granted interim bail by an ATC, adding that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that the PTI leader was arrested when he was with the lawyers.

“What will the investigating officer investigate, the color of the vehicle or from where he was coming?” asked the lawyer. He added that Niazi was arrested before the case was registered and taken to different police stations.

“All police actions are illegal,” said Niazi’s counsel Ali Bukhari. He added that his client did not have any criminal record and was a professional lawyer.

The counsel also told the court that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had allowed Niazi to meet his legal team but he was denied the opportunity.

“The case should be dismissed on the basis of illegal actions taken by the police and action should be taken against the investigating officer,” urged Bukhari.

On the other hand, Niazi’s other counsel Sher Afzal Marwat told the court that the PTI leader’s "crime is that he is Imran Khan’s nephew". He added that every other day baseless cases are registered and different people are sent on physical remand.

“Ever since the new IG took charge people’s rights are being trampled,” said Marwat. He added that Islamabad’s top cop makes political speeches in court.

Niazi’s third lawyer Qaiser Imam then told the court that parking the car in front of the barrier did not kill anyone.

“A case was registered four hours after Hassaan Niazi’s arrest,” said Imam.

Furthermore, lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told the court that he is willing to give an undertaking that no barrier was present as claimed by the police.

Meanwhile, the investigation officer asked the court to approve a seven-day physical remand of Niazi.

The prosecutor then asked the court to look at how the police were treated, adding that stones were pelted at the law enforcement personnel and beaten with sticks. He added that the police wanted to recover Niazi’s car.

“The investigation cannot be affected, Hassaan Niazi cannot be discharged,” said the prosecutor.

Judicial magistrate Abbas Shah then turned down the police’s plea for a seven-day physical remand and approved it for only two days.