PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Monday granted transit bail to Hammad Azhar, a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in cases linked to the May 09 riots.
Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of the Peshawar High Court presided over the hearing and approved transit bail for Hammad Azhar in 51 cases, directing him to appear before the relevant courts within a month.
The legal representative of the accused revealed that there are a total of 51 cases registered against Hammad Azhar, with the possibility of additional cases yet to be discovered. These cases are spread across various cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, raising concerns about the extent of legal challenges faced by the PTI leader.
Additional Attorney General Inam Yousafzai deferred to the court’s discretion, emphasizing the importance of allowing due process to determine the appropriate course of action.
Earlier this month, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) declared Hammad Azhar, along with six others, as fugitives in cases related to the May 09 riots. Police officials had filed a plea with the ATC to declare Hammad Azhar, Adnan Ashraf, and others as fugitives, citing their evasion of arrest due to fears of legal consequences stemming from the May 09 incidents.
The investigator in the court reported that despite multiple court orders requiring their presence, the defendant failed to attend court proceedings.
