“ATC Judge Discharges 32 PTI Protesters, Warns Police of Handcuffs If Re-Arrested”

Islamabad: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Islamabad has discharged 32 accused involved in the PTI protest cases, expressing strong displeasure over the late-night presentation of the suspects from Jhelum Jail. The suspects were brought to court for an identification parade but were discharged from the case.
The police had earlier claimed the arrest of the suspects in connection with cases filed at I-9 and Margalla police stations. Their lawyer, Ansar Kiyani, represented them in court.
ATC Judge Abulhasnat Zulqarnain, while hearing the case, criticized the late-night transfer of the suspects from Jhelum Jail, questioning the necessity and timing of such a move. During the proceedings, the police informed the court that the suspects had been arrested on November 25, but the identification parade had not been conducted. They requested a 30-day physical remand for each of the accused.
The defense lawyer argued that the identification parade had not yet been held, and the police were seeking remand for recoveries that had not been substantiated.
Judge Zulqarnain, visibly annoyed, discharged the suspects from the case, and warned the police, saying, “If you arrest them again, I will have handcuffs put on the officers involved.”
This ruling came as a strong reminder of the court’s displeasure with the handling of the case, particularly the delays and procedural shortcomings related to the suspects’ identification and treatment.