Islamabad ATC Discharges 32 Suspects in D-Chowk Protest Case

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has discharged 32 individuals arrested in connection with the recent violent protests at D-Chowk, citing a lack of evidence. The suspects had been detained during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demonstration on November 25, but the police failed to substantiate their involvement, ARY News reported.

The suspects were presented before ATC Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain, who rejected the capital police’s request for a 30-day physical remand. The court ruled that the police did not provide sufficient evidence or conduct identification parades to link the accused to the violent incidents.

Defense Arguments

Anser Kiani, the defense lawyer, argued that the suspects were innocent laborers who had been arbitrarily detained to inflate arrest numbers. “The accused were picked up from their homes and thrown into jail just to meet the count,” Kiani stated, emphasizing the lack of due process in the arrests.

The judge issued a stern warning to the police, cautioning against rearresting the suspects without proper cause, stating that such actions would result in the officers being handcuffed.

Broader Arrests in D-Chowk Protests

The November protest at D-Chowk, organized by PTI, led to widespread arrests of leaders and workers. Prominent figures facing arrest warrants include Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI’s founder, as well as Barrister Gohar, Shoaib Shaheen, Ali Bukhari, and Aamir Mughal. Other PTI leaders named in cases related to the protest include Omar Ayub, Khalid Khurshid, Faisal Javed, and Sher Afzal Marwat.

The discharge of the 32 suspects highlights growing concerns about due process in handling protest-related arrests, as tensions between PTI supporters and authorities continue to escalate.