August 7, 2024
ISLAMABAD – PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan was released from Adiala Jail on Tuesday night after an anti-terrorism court granted him bail in connection with a case pertaining to alleged recovery of explosives.
PTI lawyer and spokesperson Naeem Haider Panjutha announced the development on social media platform X.
Footage of Hasan’s release also did the rounds on social media and showed him walking away before leaving in a vehicle.
Hasan was arrested on July 22 in a case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (Peca).
His arrest had come the same day as the interior ministry claimed the PTI was involved in “anti-state propaganda”. The government then formed a joint investigation committee (JIT) last week to probe those creating “chaos and disorder” in the country through “malicious social media campaigns”.
In the social media case, Hasan was remanded into the FIA’s custody for a total of seven days — an initial two-day physical remand, followed by a three-day and a two-day extension for further investigation.
After being sent on a 14-day judicial remand, Hasan was reportedly shifted to Adiala Jail on July 31 but was arrested in a terrorism case the same day, according to The News.
His arrest was made in a case pertaining to the alleged possession of weapons and explosives, which did not name him directly but was the same in which PTI’s international media coordinator Ahmed Janjua had been taken into custody.
While an Islamabad court granted Hasan and eight others bail in the social media case on August 1, he had already been handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Department on a two-day physical remand on July 31.
The remand was extended by a day on August 2, following which the PTI leader was produced before an Islamabad ATC on Saturday which sent him on a 14-day judicial remand.
ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over a hearing on Hasan’s bail plea today and granted the request, setting release against furnishing surety bonds at Rs200,000.
“It is further observed that the accused/petitioner is an old age person of 75 years and he is facing severe illness. He is a cardiac patient as well as a cancer survivor. He is well-educated person having no previous criminal record. The investigation has already been completed and the person of the accused is no more required by the prosecution for any purpose. In view of that instant post-arrest bail stands accepted,” the order said.
Regarding the case, the judge noted that despite Hasan’s physical remand, nothing was recovered from him and no material or evidence was collected and placed on the record to establish his link with the alleged provision of finances for the explosives.
“There is no direct or indirect evidence available to connect the present accused/petitioner with the abetment of the offence attributed.”
Hasan’s robkar (release order) was later issued by the court.