Lahore ATC extends physical remand of PTI's Hammad Azhar for 7 days in Jinnah House attack case

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday extended the physical remand of PTI leader Hammad Azhar for another seven days in the 2023 Jinnah House attack case. Sarwar Road police had booked several PTI leaders and workers on charges of attacking and vandalising the Jinnah House, which also serves as the residence of the corps commander, during the May 9, 2023 protests against the arrest of ex-premier Imran Khan. On Monday, police produced the former federal finance minister before the court upon the completion of his 21-day physical remand. During the hearing, a state prosecutor said police needed further remand to recover the suspect’s mobile phone and SIM, describing them as important pieces of evidence. He urged the court to extend the remand for a further seven days. Speaking before the court, Azhar questioned why further remand was being sought, saying he had already been kept on physical remand for 21 days in an alleged occurrence where he said he was not even present. “Even a murder suspect is sent on 14-day remand here. Has my offence become more serious than murder?” he asked. The former minister also complained that he had not been allowed to meet his lawyers or family members. The ATC then reserved its decision on the prosecution’s request for further remand, and later announced its decision, granting the police Hammad’s remand for another seven days. Azhar, the son of late former Punjab governor Mian Muhammad Azhar, has been declared a proclaimed offender by multiple anti-terrorism courts for not joining the proceedings against him in cases related to the May 9 riots. Azhar had reappeared in public on May 22, 2024, a year after he had gone into hiding when the state launched a crackdown against the party leadership following the violent incidents of May 9. At the time, the PTI leader had evaded arrest when the Counter-Terrorism Department raided the party’s secretariat in Islamabad.