Bushra Bibi, Asad Qaiser among PTI leaders denied bail

ISLAMABAD:An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has dismissed pre-arrest bail applications filed by Bushra Bibi and several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in cases related to protests.

ATC Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain heard a total of 250 bail applications submitted by PTI leaders and workers in connection with the protest-related cases.

The court rejected the pre-arrest bail pleas of Bushra Bibi, Junaid Akbar, Latif Khosa, Naeem Panjutha, Asad Qaiser, Ali Zaman, Iman Waseem, Atif Khan and Fazal Muhammad.

During the hearing, PTI leaders Raoof Hasan and Shehryar Afridi appeared before the anti-terrorism court and marked their attendance.

The court extended the interim bail of PTI workers who appeared before it until February 11. However, Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain dismissed the bail applications of PTI leaders who failed to appear during the proceedings.

The ruling marks a development in the ongoing legal proceedings against Bushra Bibi and PTI leaders in cases linked to protests. The court’s decision leaves the rejected applicants without the protection of the pre-arrest bail they had sought in these cases.