LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court has handed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar over to police on a 20-day physical remand in the Jinnah House arson and attack case.
Lahore Police produced Hammad Azhar before the Anti-Terrorism Court. Following the court’s decision on his physical remand, police took him back into custody.
During Hammad Azhar’s appearance, Judge Malik Abid Hussain directed media representatives to leave the courtroom. The judge said that everyone except lawyers and the investigating officer should leave the courtroom.
During the hearing, the prosecution said that Hammad Azhar had been arrested in the Jinnah House attack case of May 9. It said he was nominated in the case and that his physical remand was required for investigation. The prosecution further said that the social media accounts allegedly used to run a campaign of unrest also had to be recovered.
Hammad Azhar’s lawyer told the court that Hammad Azhar was in Gujranwala on May 9 and was not present at the scene. He said the court could also verify the accused’s location through geofencing. He added that Hammad Azhar was willing to undergo a photogrammetric test regarding the social media accounts, photographs and other material, but argued that remand could not be granted on the basis of evidence that might emerge in the future.
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Meanwhile, PTI leader Hammad Azhar remains in custody and is being interrogated. Details of the cases registered against him have also emerged. According to police, Hammad Azhar was wanted in 48 cases, including 17 cases registered under terrorism provisions.
Earlier, Hammad Azhar’s mother had approached the Lahore High Court seeking his recovery. She filed the petition through Barrister Abu Zar Sulaiman Khan Niazi, naming the Punjab Inspector General of Police, the CCPO and others as respondents.
The petitioner’s lawyer said Hammad Azhar had been taken into custody from Multan two days earlier but had not yet been produced before any court.
