LAHORE:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) social media activist Khadija Shah was granted post-arrest bail in the third case on Wednesday.
She had been arrested soon after the Lahore High Court had granted her bail in cases pertaining to two other FIRs. The decision had been announced following the declaration in a report submitted by the Punjab Police that only two FIRs had been registered against her regarding the May 9 riots.
A district court granted her post-arrest bail in the third FIR registered against her for controversial tweets inciting people for the riots.
This FIR had surfaced after an LHC bench headed by Justice Aalia Neelum had granted her post-arrest bail in two FIRs registered against her for allegedly setting ablaze the Askari Tower and attacking the Jinnah House. The bench had sought details from the Punjab Police of the FIRs registered against Khadija Shah.
Read Khadija Shah secures bail in controversial tweets case
The capital city police officer (CCPO) had claimed in the report that only two FIRs had been lodged against her.
As the division bench granted her bail, the petitioner was arrested in connection with the third FIR.
Shah had filed a plea seeking contempt proceedings against police high-ups for allegedly deceiving the court through the report. The plea is pending before the LHC.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Nawaz had reserved decision on the fresh bail application earlier in the day, but announced it later.
The petitioner’s counsel had argued that his client had nothing to do with the cases registered against her in connection with the riots.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2023.
