Hassan Niazi’s interim bail cancelled for ‘arriving late’ in courtroom
LAHORE: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday cancelled the interim bail granted to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nephew barrister Hassan Niazi for “showing up late” in today’s hearing in the case regarding the attack on Lahore’s Punjab Institute pf Cardiology (PIC) by hundreds of lawyers on December 11, 2019.
The ATC judge expressed irritation at Niazi when he reached late in the courtroom saying, “You showed up late despite being a lawyer.” “Law is equal for everyone,” the judge said before cancelling his interim bail.
Hassan Niazi gave an unconditional apology and is likely to file another plea for bail in the case in order to prevent his police arrest.
On the other hand, the court extended the interim bails granted to nine other lawyers accused in the PIC attack case till January 6.
The nine lawyers whose bail has been extended include, Abdul Majid, Syed Zain Abbas, Sikander Siddiq, Ali Javed Malik, Osama Moaz, Abdul Rehman Butt, Rana Adeel, Umar Ghori and Chaudhry Muzammil.
He had claimed during the trial that he had nothing to do with the assault on the PIC as the police wrongly identified him in the case.
Hassan Niazi said he had wanted to join police investigation into the case to prove his innocence but fears his arrest as the police have been carrying out raids to apprehend him.
Hassan Niazi said he wanted to join the police investigation into the case in order to prove his innocence, but he is afraid of being charged as the police raided him.
Read More: Imran Khan’s nephew Hassan Niazi gets bail in PIC attack case
After hearing initial arguments, the court had approved the bail for the accused against a surety bond of Rs100,000.
Niazi, during the PIC attack, was seen pelting stones and breaking a mobile police in a CCTV footage. He was also seen taking pictures outside the hospital with his friends.
Niazi, Hafizullah Niazi’s son, was one of more than 250 lawyers who ransacked the hospital, vandalized buildings, and destroyed dozens of cars as well as setting a police van on fire.
Police had conducted multiple raids to arrest him in the attack case but could not catch him.
