Islamabad High Court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of over 120 PTI employees arrested after protest November 26.
A two-judge bench consisting of functioning Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Asif, awarded the detained bail.
The court ordered them to submit a statement on their respective police stations and promised that they would not participate in similar actions in the future.
The hearing saw legal representation from Ali Bukhari, Babar Awan and Murtaza Tori, who argued for the detained release.
The court set bail on RS20,000, which required each individual to submit a bail.
The PTI workers were arrested in connection with protests held on November 26, 2024, which led to a government’s crash.
Last month, Mercy arrangements presented by 19 people convicted of their commitment to the protests on May 9, approved, announced Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement.
“Successor to Promulation of Penalty to May 9 -Tragedy -Penalties, they have exercised their right to appeal and have asked for grace / remission in their penalties,” the military’s media wing states.
ISPR further said that a total of 67 criminal sentences had submitted to Mercy’s petitions, with 48 of these petitions being treated to appeal courts. It added that the petitions of 19 criminal sentences had been accepted “purely on humanitarian reasons in accordance with the law.”
“They are all released after the end of procedural formalities,” the statement continued.
The press release also mentioned that grace petitions from the remaining criminal sentences would be decided over time after the legal process. It emphasized that all the convicts retain their right to appeal and pursue other remedies under the law and the constitution.
“The remission of penalties is a testimony to the strength of the proper process and justice, which ensures that justice is served while also taking into account the principles of compassion and mercy,” the ISPR concluded.
The following persons have had their penalties surrendered:
- Muhammad Ayaz, Son of SaHibzada Khan
- Sami Ullah, Son of Meer Dad Khan
- Laeq Ahmed, Son of Manzoor Ahmed
- Amjad Ali, Son of Manzoor Ahmed
- Yasir Nawaz, Son of Ameer Nawaz Khan
- Said Alam, son of Maaz Ullah Khan
- Zahid Khan, Son of Muhammad Nabi
- Muhammad Suleman, son of the said Ghani Jan
- Hamza Sharif, Son of Muhammad Azam
- Muhammad Salman, Son of Zahid Nisar
- Asher Butt, Son of Muhammad Arshad Butt
- Muhammad Waqas, Son of Malik Muhammad Khalil
- Sufayan Idrees, Son of Idrees Ahmed
- Muneeb Ahmed, Son of Naveed Ahmed Butt
- Muhammad Ahmed, Son of Muhammad Nazir
- Muhammad Nawaz, Son of Abdul Samad
- Muhammad Ali, Son of Muhammad Boota
- Muhammad Bilawal, Son of Manzoor Hussain
- Muhammad Ilyas, son of Muhammad Fazal Haleem
In December 2024, military courts sentenced 60 more civilians to prison conditions for their roles in violent attacks on military installations during the nationwide riots on May 9, 2023.
The judgments come just days after ISPR announced that 25 civilians had been transferred to prison conditions for their commitment to the same events.
People have been convicted of their commitment to violent attacks on the most important military and government facilities, including Corps Commander House in Lahore, the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, the ISI office in Faisalabad and Bannu Cantt, among others, Ispr stated.
