LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday extended interim pre-arrest bail of PML-N MNA Rana Sanaullah Khan and retired Capt Muhammad Safdar, son-in-law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a case of attacking a police team outside the office of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) when Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N vice president, came to appear in an inquiry about land allotment on Aug 11.

Safdar appeared before the court along with his counsel, however, Mr Khan did not appear due to the session of the National Assembly.

Presiding Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta allowed a one-time exemption from personal appearance to MNA Khan and extended the pre-arrest bail of both till Oct 23.

Chung police registered the FIR against the leaders and workers of the PML-N. Initially, the police included the offences of Pakistan Penal Code in the case but later also added the terror offence.

Talking to the reporters outside the court, Safdar said he had no regret for what he did at the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam and Fatima Jinnah, the mother of the nation. He said if chanting slogans for “respect of the vote” and “long live Madar-i-Millat” was a crime he would commit the crime every year on Oct 18, the day of the occurrence, at the mausoleum.

Safdar said such FIRs could not deter him. He pointed out that the complainant against him was himself an absconder in a terrorism case.

The other day, the Karachi police arrested Safdar after breaking the door lock of his room in a hotel where he was staying with his wife Maryam Nawaz. Later in the day a court released him on bail.

They visited Karachi to attend a power show by the Pakistan Democratic Movement.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2020