ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday granted post-arrest bail to 23 human rights activists who had been detained for protesting against the arrest of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen last week. IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the plea and granted bail to the activists belonging to PTM and Awami Workers Party (AWP). In today’s hearing, Justice Minallah expressed his displeasure at the Islamabad police chief’s absence from the court. The chief justice had, on Saturday, sought an explanation from the capital police and the district administration for invoking the offense of sedition against these protesters. The counsel for the petitioners — Ammar Rashid and others — had contended before the chief justice that “the case has been registered against the petitioners on the basis of mala fide”.

Source: Pakistan Today February 03, 2020 07:07 UTC