LAHORE – An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPA Hafiz Farhat Abbas until November 8 in two cases of torching of police vehicles near Jinnah House.
During the proceedings, presided over by ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill, the court issued show-cause notices to the investigation officers handling the cases, citing delays in record submission and negligence. The court expressed serious displeasure with Investigation Officer Muhammad Arham for arriving late to the hearing and issued him a show-cause notice. Another show-cause notice was given to Investigation Officer Naveed Anjum for delegating his duty to a junior officer without permission. Both officers were ordered to submit written explanations by the next hearing.
The court also conditionally approved an application allowing Hafiz Farhat Abbas a one-day exemption from personal appearance, noting that the application was filed without an accompanying medical certificate. The court directed Abbas’s legal team to present a medical certificate on the next hearing date. Earlier, Abbas’s counsel had filed the exemption request on grounds of illness.
The cases, registered at Sarwar Road Police Station, allege Abbas’s involvement in the torching of police vehicles during May-9 riots.
