ATC ends Hammad Azhar’s physical remand, sends him to jail

A Lahore anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday rejected police’s request for further physical remand of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar in the Jinnah House attack case and sent him to jail on judicial remand.

The investigating officer had requested an extension of Azhar’s physical remand to conduct a polygraph test, commonly known as a lie detector test. However, the court dismissed the request after hearing arguments from the prosecution and the defence.

Azhar’s lawyer, Barrister Abuzar Salman Niazi, argued that a polygraph test required the suspect’s consent. He referred to a Lahore High Court judgment, saying the procedure should be conducted during judicial remand.

The counsel further maintained that the suspect must appear before a magistrate to state whether he agrees to undergo the test. Azhar also told the court that he did not wish to take the test if the law allowed him to refuse.

After considering the arguments, ATC Judge Sardar Muhammad Akram Khan rejected the police request and ordered that the PTI leader be sent to jail under judicial custody.

Following the decision, Barrister Niazi said on social media platform X that his client’s 50-day physical remand had ended. He added that Azhar had been transferred to Kot Lakhpat jail.

Sarwar Road police had registered a case against several PTI leaders and workers over allegations of attacking and vandalising Jinnah House during the May 9, 2023 protests that followed the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan.

According to Azhar’s family, he was arrested on September 5. Police, however, said on the following day that they were unaware of his arrest. He was produced before an anti-terrorism court on September 7, and his initial 21-day physical remand was extended more than once.

The PTI leader was brought before the court on Tuesday after completing his latest 12-day remand.

Azhar held several federal portfolios during the PTI government, including finance, industries and energy. Following the May 2023 unrest and the subsequent crackdown on PTI leaders, he went into hiding before reappearing in public on May 22, 2024.