Pakistan: Anti-terrorism court discharges Imran Khan party's leader Rashid, orders release

Pakistan's anti-terrorism court has discharged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Yasmin Rashid in the Jinnah House attack case.

Pakistan's anti-terrorism court has discharged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Yasmin Rashid in the Jinnah House attack case and ordered his immediate release, Dawn reported. The ATC judge Abher Gul Khan issued the order to release her.

The order said: "... perusal of record reveals that neither Dr Yasmin Rashid is nominated in the FIR nor involved through supplementary statement and she was summoned in the case on the disclosure of a co-accused which has no evidentiary value in the eye of the court." It added that no "incriminating material" was found against Rashid and ordered her release.

On May 13, at midnight, the PTI's Punjab chapter president Yasmin Rashid was arrested, just hours after the Lahore High Court had ordered her release along with 17 other women workers of the party detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), reported Dawn. In a midnight development, Dr Yasmin was 'arrested' again, this time in cases registered at three different police stations in Lahore. However, due to her medical condition, the police decided to keep her at Services Hospital, where she had been taken from Kot Lakhpat jail after the court ordered her release.

On petitions challenging the detention of the PTI leaders and workers, Justice Safdar Saleem Shahid of the LHC had ordered the release of the 18 women detained under the MPO, if not required in any criminal case. Earlier, Shireen Mazari, the party's Senior Vice President was arrested by Islamabad Police from her residence in the federal capital during the wee hours, reported Geo News.

Shireen Mazari's home was searched by the Islamabad police, according to officials. Following a string of arrests of senior PTI leaders, including Imran Khan, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and Ali Mohammad Khan, she was taken into custody, according to Geo News. Moreover, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has called on the cadre to gather near Islamabad HC as Imran is to appear there.

"Thousands of peaceful Pakistanis from across the country will gather at Srinagar Highway G-13 Islamabad this morning to express solidarity with Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan. After appearing in the Islamabad High Court, Chairman Imran Khan will address this place," Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tweeted. (ANI)

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