IHC grants bail to 23 PTM protesters

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted bail to 23 protesters arrested for protesting against the arrest of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen.

Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah heard the case and accepted post-arrest bail of all the accused. During the hearing Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad also appeared in the court. The Chief Justice remarked they did not expect this from him and the incumbent government. "Have you read the First Information Report (FIR) and under which law terrorism provisions were imposed," he asked. The court directed DC Islamabad and IGP to file a report till the next hearing.

The Chief Justice remarked if they had seen SC verdict in which the Supreme Court defined terrorism and asked where the IGP was. The DIG told to court that he is on leave. The Chief Justice while addressing the DIG remarked that he was representing the state which has the responsibility to protect people and not to arrest them. "How can you question someone's patriotism and do you think constitutional courts will shut their eyes on this matter? We will go to the bottom of this case?" The Chief Justice further remarked if the government did some wrong, it should be accepted as wrong. The court gave one week's time to submit a reply in the court and ordered that DC and IGP both to see this matter and adjourned the hearing.