RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday granted afresh pre-arrest bail to prime minister Imran Khan’s nephew Hassaan Niazi in case of attack on Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) by lawyers.

Earlier in the day, the court dismissed bail petition for non-prosecution as Niazi failed to attend the hearing. However after a while when Niazi appeared before the court, Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta expressed his displeasure and observed, “a lawyer is not supposed to demonstrate such casual attitude”.

The lawyer apologized to the judge saying the security checks at the entrance of the court’s building made him late. However, he filed a fresh petition for pre-arrest bail which the court allowed till January 06.

Shadman police had lodged two FIRs against at least 250 lawyers after they stormed the PIC, damaged public property and manhandled government employees.

The police made several attempts to arrest Hassan Advocate after his video actively participating in the lawyers’ attack at the hospital went viral on social media but remained unsuccessful as he went into hiding. At last, he made a surprise appearance before the court along with his counsel and father Hafeezullah Khan Niazi and the court allowed him interim pre-arrest bail.