An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail on Monday to 10 MPs from former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, an AFP journalist witnessed.
At least 30 people from the jailed ex-PM’s party, including the 10 MPs, were remanded in custody on Tuesday, two days after they led a major rally in the capital Islamabad.
Several lawmakers and leaders of jailed former Pakistani prime minister’s party were arrested after a rally they held to demand his release have been charged with terrorism offences, according to police on September 11.
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On September 10, a police spokesman confirmed the detention of four individuals but gave no details of charges. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said nearly a dozen of its parliamentarians had been picked up in Islamabad. Others had sought refuge in parliament to evade law enforcers, it said.
Former cricket star Khan, 71, has been in jail for over a year since his overthrow in 2022 after a falling-out with powerful military generals which has spawned the worst political turmoil in decades in the nation of 241 million people.
It should be noted that a high court in Pakistan acquitted Khan on June 3 from a conviction on charges of leaking state secrets, but remains in prison for now due to a conviction in another case.