HARIPUR: The Anti-Terrorism Court Hazara here on Friday granted bail to 80 Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan workers arrested for arson attacks, firing, damage to public property, and other acts of terrorism.

ATC judge Sajjad Ahmad Jan accepted the bail petition of TLP workers and ordered their counsel to produce security bonds for their release from the Haripur jail.

Barrister Yousuf Hinjra, legal adviser to the TLP, appeared before the court leading an eight-strong team of lawyers for the detainees. Public prosecutor Arif Khan appeared for the state.

The Havelian police had arrested TLP workers on Oct 16 night and next morning over a clash with their personnel deployed at the Chamba Bridge entrance to Havelian from Haripur.

Thousand of party workers led by their chief Allama Saad Rizvi attempted in vain to cross that bridge to attend a Miladun Nabi procession in Havelian despite a ban on rallies.

The police registered a criminal case against the TLP leadership and workers for carrying weapons, catapults and sticks, and attacking the policemen at the Chamba Bridge.

The police claimed that those attacks injured their 33 personnel, including an inspector, and damaged several public and private vehicles as well as property.

In the FIR, they nominated 90 attackers, including TLP chief Allama Saad Rizvi, local leaders Mufti Umair al Azhari, Shafiq Amini, Saleh Awan, Hanif Jadoon, Shaukat Rizvi and others.

The police arrested 35 accused on Oct 16 night and 45 the next day. They were sent to the Haripur Central Prison by the ATC judge on Oct 20 after the expiry of two days physical remand.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2022