In a recent development, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday ordered the release of prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist, Sanam Javed Khan, and eight other party members in connection with the Jinnah House attack case.

This decision comes after a series of legal proceedings surrounding the incident that took place earlier this year.

Court quashes 55 bail pleas

ATC Judge Arshad Javed, presiding over the case, announced the verdict, granting bail to the nine suspects implicated in the Jinnah House attack.

The court approved their bail pleas against surety bonds worth Rs 0.1 million each, paving the way for their release.

The PTI activists who secured bail alongside Sanam Javed Khan are Robina Jameel, Afshan Tariq, Ashma Shuja, Shah Bano, Faisal Akhtar, Qasim, Ali Hasan, and Hussain Qadri.

Meanwhile, ATC also disposed of bail petitions filed by 55 other suspects in the case.

Previous ruling

To recap, these individuals were initially arrested and placed on physical remand following their alleged involvement in the Jinnah House attack.

The court had previously ordered former PTI MNA Aliya Hamza and several women activists, including Khadija Shah and Sanam Javed Khan, to be placed on a five-day physical remand for inquiry purposes.

During this period, they were held in police custody from sunrise till sunset, after which they would be transferred to judicial custody.

'Dark chapter'

The army termed the events of May 9 a “dark chapter” and announced its intent to try the protesters under relevant laws, including two military laws — the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act.

The Jinnah House attack case stems from events that unfolded on May 9, which led to violent clashes across Pakistan. These disturbances were triggered by the arrest of former Prime Minister and PTI Chief Imran Khan at the Islamabad High Court.

Protests erupted in both remote and major cities, with PTI workers expressing their dissatisfaction with their leader's detention.

The situation escalated to the point where the armed forces were summoned in Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad to maintain law and order.

Notably, Army installations and the Corps Commander's house in Lahore came under attack during one such protest, resulting in injuries, including Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi.