Islamabad’s anti-terrorism court has granted bail to four PTI leaders named in cases linked to the 26 November protest and a protest outside the Supreme Court. Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain approved the applications for Asad Qaiser, Atif Khan, Latif Khosa and Faisal Amin Gandapur and directed each to deposit a surety of Rs5,000. The court said the bail would remain in place until 11 February.
Who was named and in how many cases
The four accused are senior figures associated with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. According to the court record reflected in the hearing, Asad Qaiser’s bail covers nine cases, Atif Khan’s four, Latif Khosa’s three, and Faisal Amin Gandapur’s six. All four applications were heard together in the cases arising from the 26 November protest and from the demonstration held outside the Supreme Court.
An anti-terrorism court, often shortened to ATC, is a special court that tries cases registered under Pakistan’s anti-terrorism law. Pre-arrest bail is a form of court protection that can stop police from taking someone into custody while a case is pending, provided the person follows the court’s conditions.
What the court ordered
Alongside approving bail, the judge ordered the four PTI leaders to submit machalkas—surety bonds—of Rs5,000 each. The protection runs until 11 February. The order follows a recent setback for the same accused: their earlier bail had been cancelled because they did not appear before the court. Defence lawyers then filed fresh pre-arrest bail applications, which the ATC has now allowed.
The decision does not decide guilt or innocence. It sets conditions under which the four men may remain free from arrest in these protest cases until the February date fixed by the court, unless a later order changes that position.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- 26 November: Cases against the four PTI leaders are tied to the 26 November protest and to a protest outside the Supreme Court.
- Recent days: Bail previously granted to the four was cancelled after they failed to appear in court.
- Fresh applications: The accused filed new pre-arrest bail pleas in the same sets of cases.
- Current order: Judge Abul Hasnat Zulqarnain granted bail until 11 February, with Rs5,000 sureties for each accused.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad ki ATC ne char PTI rehnumaon ki zamanat manzoor kar li hai. Asad Qaiser, Atif Khan, Latif Khosa aur Faisal Amin Gandapur in cases mein shamil hain jo 26 November aur Supreme Court ke bahir ke ehtijaj se linked hain. Har ek ko paanch hazar rupay ka muchalka dena hoga, aur yeh zamanat 11 February tak hai. Pehle non-appearance ki wajah se zamanat kharij ho chuki thi; ab nayi darkhwastain qabool kar li gai hain.
