Punjab police have declared PTI leaders not guilty in a case pertaining to vandalism during the Azadi March towards Islamabad on May 25. The hearing took place today at an Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore.
The PTI leaders including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Shafqat Mahmood, Murad Raas, and others were found innocent in a report submitted by the Punjab police to the court.
According to the details, the police said that they no longer wanted to arrest the PTI leaders nor did they want to proceed against them in the case. They also prompted the PTI leaders to withdraw their pleas for bail in cases filed at multiple police stations in Lahore.
Earlier, the ATC had granted interim bails to the PTI leaders in the Azadi March vandalism case. The PTI leaders granted interim bail include PTI’s Dr. Yasmin Rashid, former energy minister Hammad Azhar, Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal, Mian Mahmood-ur-Rasheed, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Musarrat Cheema, Andeeb Abbas and others.
Read more: Azadi March Vandalism case: Imran Khan granted bail till July 6
In all, 14 leaders of PTI had been booked for allegedly putting up resistance against law enforcers and damaging state property. The cases were registered over blocking roads, disrupting state affairs, attacking police personnel, and damaging property.
The police had registered 42 cases against senior leaders and workers of the PTI for agitation in the aftermath of clashes erupted between the police and PTI leaders in the provincial capital. Moreover, at least 15 cases were registered in different police stations against the former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Had a meeting with CCPO Lahore yesterday to discuss issue of fake cases against PTI workers and instances of illegal police action during Azadi march pic.twitter.com/QandN0FqzY
— Shafqat Mahmood (@Shafqat_Mahmood) August 4, 2022
Chaotic scenes in Pakistan
PTI’s Azadi March was quite a happening event for Pakistan. Lahore turned into a battleground as multiple scuffles took place between the police and PTI marchers as the latter tried to wriggle out of the barricades placed in their way.
At Lahore’s Batti Chowk, the police resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse PTI workers when they removed barriers placed to block the routes.
Read more: Dr. Yasmin Rashid wins hearts yet again
The party workers gathered at the intersection and clashed with the police when they removed barriers after which the police fired tear gas shells in order to clear the area.