ATC grants 8-day remand of 41 PTI workers arrested after clash outside Adiala Jail

An Anti-Terrorism Court in Rawalpindi on Wednesday granted eight-day physical remand of 41 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) arrested following a clash with police outside Adiala Jail.

The accused were produced before the court after being detained on Adiala Road for allegedly resisting police during a crackdown. The prosecution had sought a 20-day physical remand; however, the court approved an eight-day remand and directed authorities to present the accused again on April 16.

The case was heard by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Amjad Ali Shah.

During the hearing, Prosecutor Zaheer Shah informed the court that the accused had formed an unlawful assembly in violation of Section 144. He stated that despite police warnings to disperse, the protesters allegedly attacked law enforcement personnel.

According to the prosecution, nine police officials were injured in stone-pelting during the clash. The prosecutor further alleged that the accused attempted to exert pressure on the Punjab government through violence, adding that recoveries of items related to arson and mobile phones were required for investigation.

The incident occurred a day earlier when Aleema Khan staged a sit-in on Adiala Road after being denied a meeting with the PTI founder. Police later launched an operation to disperse the protesters, during which clashes broke out and stones were reportedly thrown at police personnel.

Following the arrests of party workers, Aleema Khan left the protest site in the evening.