PESHAWAR: On Wednesday night, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) granted transit bail to Zartaj Gul, a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), amidst a commotion within the court premises.
Chief Justice Mohammad Ibrahim Khan expressed disapproval of arresting a woman and criticized the heavy police presence at the court.
The court restrained the police from arresting the former federal minister, responding to her plea to avoid possible arrest in connection to the May 9 riots.
Gul, who apologized for the violence after Imran Khan’s arrest, remained within the court premises, fearing detention.
Additional police forces, including more female officers, were deployed, leading to a tense situation.
In view of the situation, PHC CJ reached the court late this evening and set up the court to hear Gul’s plea.
“Both of us should resign if you cannot bring out a solution to the matter,” CJ Ibrahim said while addressing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s advocate general.
Gul, along with 51 other PTI leaders, faces charges related to the Gujranwala Cantt attack on May 9. An anti-terrorism court had previously ordered the seizure of their properties.
Gul, speaking to journalists, expressed concern over the deployment of a large police force and insisted on her right to contest elections. She sought bail, asserting her commitment to ideology, and urged the judiciary and legal fraternity for justice.
In a dramatic turn earlier, female police officers attempted to arrest Gul, but members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum resisted, leading to the closure of the bar room. The situation remains tense as the legal proceedings unfold.
