PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court here on Wednesday granted bail to 104 suspected members of the recently-banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on the charges of conspiring against the state and inciting people to riots.

Judge Syed Asghar Ali Shah accepted the bail pleas of those people arrested by the police over a week ago, and ordered their release after hearing arguments of both parties.

An FIR was registered against several TLP leaders and members at the Paharipura police station on April 13 for blocking the GT Road and Ring Road for hours.

It was registered under Section 7 ATA and different sections of PPC, including 120-B, 147, 148, 153 and 314.

The complainant in the FIR was SHO Waris Khan, who insisted that different TLP leaders along with workers had gathered near Pir Zakori Bridge on the GT Road and blocked the Ring Road suspending traffic.

He said the protesters were having a pick-up vehicle fitted with a sound system over which they had been delivering provocative speeches against the government.

The complainant alleged the protesters also shouted anti-government slogans. He added the officials tried to convince them to end the blockade of roads but they didn’t listen to them.

It was alleged that the protesters intended to cause damage to public property.

However, lawyers for the petitioners insisted that their clients were charged in a concocted case and that the demonstrators were peaceful and damaged no property.

They said their clients couldn’t be detained merely on the basis of hearsay.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2021