ATC Extends Hammad Azhar’s Remand by Seven Days

News Desk
LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has extended the physical remand of former federal minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar by seven days in connection with the attack on Jinnah House during the May 9 riots.
Police presented the former minister before the presiding judge upon the expiration of his earlier remand amid heightened security around the court premises.
During the proceedings, the prosecutor requested a 14-day extension in physical custody, contending that additional time was required for thorough custodial interrogation, recovery of electronic devices, and identification of other suspects linked to the case.
Defense counsel opposed the motion, arguing that police had already completed necessary inquiries. After evaluating arguments from both sides, the court sanctioned a seven-day remand.
Azhar, a senior PTI leader who spent months hiding to evade arrest, faces a series of cases registered under anti-terrorism laws following the widespread violence triggered by the arrest of party founder Imran Khan in 2023. The Jinnah House incident, involving significant property damage and arson at the Corps Commander House in Lahore, remains one of the central cases in the state’s broader legal push against political figures implicated in the unrest.
The court directed police to complete the remaining phase of the investigation and present a detailed progress report at the conclusion of the extended period. Hammad Azhar is set to be re-produced before the court upon completion of the seven-day physical remand.