From Abid Usman
Lahore: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday sent PTI leader Yasmin Rashid to jail on 14-day judicial remand in a case pertaining to remarks against state institutions and rioting in the wake of the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in May.
Imran’s arrest on May 9 had resulted in widespread violence and saw important military installations come under attack, on the basis of which the state had launched a severe crackdown against his party.
While Imran Khan was released a few days later, scores of PTI workers and almost the entire top-tier leadership were rounded up, with many still facing court proceedings under serious charges.
Last month, a Lahore ATC had allowed the police to interrogate several PTI leaders, including Rashid, and activists afresh in different cases of May 9 riots following addition of new offences of mutiny and waging a war against the state in the FIRs.
Last week, the police was granted five-day physical remand of Rashid in a case pertaining to incendiary speeches she allegedly delivered on May 9 against state institutions at Lahore’s Sherpao Bridge and rioting in the wake of Imran’s arrest.
ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan presided over today’s hearing during which police produced Rashid before the court on the expiration of her physical remand.
Police did not seek further physical remand of the PTI leader, following which the court sent her to jail on 14-day judicial remand. The court also directed police to present the challan of the case at the next hearing.
Court grants Rashid permission to visit hospital
Separately, the court also allowed Rashid’s request seeking permission for her to visit Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. The court heard the plea on Wednesday but the written order was issued today.
Rashid filed the application through her lawyer, Advocate Rana Mudassar. The application, said that Rashid was 74-years-old, a cancer patient and was also suffering from many other diseases.
It said that she had raised her health concerns before the court and was also admitted to the hospital, yet she was not given proper medical treatment and was still “unstable”.
The application said that Rashid was treated at Shaukat Khanum in the past and needed “proper care” from the same facility as it had all her medical records. It said that if the plea was not accepted, Rashid would suffer “irreparable loss and injury”.
Allowing Rashid’s request, Judge Khan noted that Rashid was a “high-risk case” and was on “close follow up”. In the written order, the judge directed the superintendent of the Central Jail, Lahore to facilitate Rashid “for her production in order to get treatment at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore”.
