SC grants bail to five accused of May 9 violence case

ISLAMABAD, (NNI): The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday accepted the bail applications of five suspects in a May 9 violence case.

The suspects had been taken into custody for attacking Hamza Camp in Rawalpindi and damaging it.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jamal Mandokhel, granted bails to Saifullah, Awais Ayyaz, Kamran, Waqas and Nasrullah in lieu of surety bonds of Rs50,000 each.

During the hearing, the court admonished the police and the prosecution for faulty investigation.

Justice Mandokhel asked whether being a worker of a party or taking out a rally was a crime. "The state of affairs we are witnessing today is the consequence of banning students' unions and political parties," the judge said, adding, "Can we declare a former prime minister 'traitor' merely on the basis of a statement given by a head constable?"

"Fear The Almighty Allah. Where are we heading?" he wondered.

Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi asked what were the proofs against the suspects? "Had their faces been recognized through CCTV camera footages?"

The investigation officer (IO) told the court that the protestors who had attacked the Hamza Camp and government buildings had broken the cameras installed in these areas.

Justice Mandokhel remarked that meant there was no proof against the suspects and these were merely statements given by the police officials on which the prosecution was relying upon. "Why terrorism-related sections were inserted in the case," he asked.

Speaking on the occasion, counsel for the Punjab government said that the suspects had attacked the ISI Camp.

Justice Mandokhel retorted, "It means don't have any idea what terrorism is."

Let me tell you, the judge went on to say, that what had happened at Army Public School, Peshawar and at Quetta courts were in fact incidents of terrorism. "How on earth could taking out a rally be called an act of terrorism?" he questioned.

Justice Mandokhel further said that the police were only after political activists, while no action was taken against those who were real terrorists.

The IO said that the suspects had attacked government buildings and military installations in reaction to the arrest of their leader. "It was a conspiracy," he said. that you