Pakistan: Anti-Terrorism Court to begin jail trial in four May 9 cases next week

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 2 : An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore said on Saturday it will next week begin the jail trial of four cases associated with torching police vehicles during the May 9 riots, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
Judge Khalid Arshad said that a jail trial does not mean there will be no justice. He announced the decision while hearing the case when Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social media activist Ayesha Ali Bhutto and former Member of National Assembly (MNA) Rubina appeared before the court.
The judge issued bailable arrest warrants for those suspects who, despite being on bail did not participate in the hearing. Incarcerated PTI leaders, including Ijaz Chaudhry, Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, were not brought from prison to the court.
The defence lawyers voiced their concerns regarding the jail trial. However, the judge stated that a trial in prison does not mean that there will be injustice, according to Dawn report.
Judge Khalid Arshad said, "Decisions are made with fairness and justice." He stated that innocent people should not be afraid and jail trials were safe in terms of security.
Arshad noted that location does not matter and trials can be conducted even in mosques and parks. He even directed the prosecution to ensure the appearance of the suspects on the next hearing set to be held in Kot Lakhpat jail on June 6.
Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court on Saturday issued bailable arrest warrants for the investigating officers (IOs) and the SHOs concerned for not producing records regarding May 9 cases in the bail petitions of Yasmin Rashid and Ijaz Chaudhry, Dawn reported.
He directed a special prosecutor to ensure the appearance of the police officials along with the record of the cases on June 4. The judge was hearing bail petitions for Yasmin Rashid in five cases of May 9 riots, including Askari Tower. PTI leader Ijaz Chaudhry sought bail in eight cases, including the attack on Askari Tower, Jinnah House and Shadman police station.
On May 9 last year, violent clashes broke out across Pakistan after former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested. The protests were held in remote and major cities as the party workers were agitated due to their chairman's arrest, with Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad summoning the armed forces to ensure law and order, ARY News reported.
Moreover, army installations, including the Corps Commander's house in Lahore, had come under attack during the protests by PTI workers. Notably, the PTI founder was named as the main accused in all the May 9 riots cases.
Earlier on May 30, a District and Sessions Court in Pakistan acquitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Thursday in two May 9 violence cases, ARY News reported. The court acquitted the PTI founder in both cases on grounds of insufficient evidence.
Imran Khan's counsel Mirza Asim Beg and Naeem Panjotha had completed their arguments on the bail pleas, as reported by ARY News. According to the details, the court heard the bail pleas where Judicial Magistrate Omar Shahab announced the verdict on two May 9 cases registered at Shahzad Town Police Station. The FIR was registered by an unauthorized person and the PTI founder was charged under Section 109, however, they did not present any evidence, the lawyer said.
Earlier, PTI founder Imran Khan filed a plea seeking an acquittal plea in May 9 violence cases, ARY News reported. PTI founder's counsel Naeem Panjutha appeared before the court and filed a plea for his acquittal.