LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Lahore High Court on Wednesday granted bail to fashion designer Khadija Shah and six co-accused in Jinnah House and Askari Tower attack case.
Those were granted bail today include Usman Sharif, Muhammad Shehbaz, Suleman Qadri, Faiz Ahmed and Arbaz Khan.
A division bench headed by Justice Aalia Neelum and including Justice Asjad Javed Ghural, announced the verdict reserved on October 12.
THE PAST
Justice Neelum asked the prosecution, during proceedings last week, whether Khadija was nominated in the FIRs.
Special prosecutor Syed Farhad Ali Shah acknowledged that she was not nominated in the FIRs, but she was “identified by the prosecution witnesses in an identity parade.”
He said she was accused of inciting people against the state and chanting objectionable slogans during the violent protests on May 9 and kept posting videos and photos of the protests on social media.
The judges asked him what was illegal in her statements. “Is it illegal to allege that the dignity of mothers and sisters is not protected?” Justice Neelum added.
She asked him whether there was any video evidence to prove that the accused vandalised and torched Askari Tower in Gulberg.
Advocate Farhad could not answer Justice Neelum and said it was not the case of the prosecution against the petitioner. She was inciting the public, which led to the riots and attacks on May 9, he claimed.
Justice Neelum observed that holding protests on the call of a political leader was a norm in society. “The government cannot prevent people from holding peaceful protests,” she remarked.
Advocate Sameer Khosa, Khadija Shah’s counsel, argued that the police arrested her without any evidence and purely on political grounds.
Meanwhile, the court approved bail for accused Rubina Khan and Qasim against bail bonds worth Rs100,000 each.