A local court in Islamabad has cancelled the arrest warrants for Asad Qaiser, a former National Assembly speaker and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), in a case linked to a November 26 protest. Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Azhar Nadeem passed the order on Friday, after Qaiser appeared before the court along with his counsel, Ayesha Khalid. The warrants had been issued earlier because he had failed to appear.
Court action in the Nov 26 case
With the warrants cancelled, the order removes the immediate arrest risk tied to Qaiser's non-appearance in this matter. The trial in the protest case remains pending before the judicial magistrate.
Separately, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) is hearing a case against PTI workers relating to the party's November 26 protest. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra adjourned those proceedings until Nov 4 because not all the accused were present. As a result, the court could not record the statements of the accused under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the provision that lets accused respond to the evidence against them. That case was registered at the Secretariat police station.
Interim bail in the Sangjani protest case
In a different matter, ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain granted Qaiser interim bail in the Sangjani protest case and restrained police from arresting him. Interim bail is temporary release granted while a case is still being heard. The judge accepted his application, issued notices to the relevant parties seeking their responses, and adjourned the hearing until Nov 7.
The same court had earlier cancelled his bail because he did not appear. The fresh order gives him temporary protection from arrest in that case, but the case itself remains open.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Before Friday: Arrest warrants were issued in the Nov 26 protest case because Qaiser failed to appear before the court.
- Before the latest order: His bail in the Sangjani protest case was cancelled because of non-appearance.
- Friday: Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Azhar Nadeem cancelled the arrest warrants after Qaiser appeared with his counsel.
- Friday: ATC Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain granted interim bail in the Sangjani case and adjourned it until Nov 7.
- Nov 4: Next hearing date in the case against PTI workers before ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, adjourned because not all accused were present.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Adalat ne Asad Qaiser ke khilaf Nov 26 protest case mein jaari giraftari ke warrants mansookh kar diye hain, kyunke woh Friday ko adalat mein pesh hue. Sangjani protest case mein unhe ATC se interim bail mil gayi hai aur police ko unhe giraftar karne se roka gaya hai. Ye cases abhi khatam nahi hue, isliye har agli tareekh par adalat mein pesh hona zaroori hai. Sangjani case ki agli sunwai Nov 7 ko hai.
