Senior PTI leaders among 31 indicted in PML-N office torching case 

In an important development in one of the cases of the torching of the PML-N’s office on May 9, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore on Wednesday indicted 31 people, including senior PTI leaders, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

PTI leaders Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Ejaz Chaudhary, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Sanam Javed were among those indicted in case number 366/23. 

The court summoned witnesses in the case on the next date of the hearing to record their statements. 

All accused, however, insisted they were not guilty. 

The indictment in case number 367/23, also of the torching of the PML-N office, would take place on January 23.

Police had registered cases against the accused at Gulberg and Model Town police stations of the city. 

Later the court adjourned the case’s hearing until January 22. 

Punjab CM Maryam wants to derail talks, says PTI’s Ejaz Ch

Later in an informal chat with reporters at the court premises, PTI stalwart Senator Ejaz Chaudhry accused Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz of trying to derail the ongoing talks between the government and the PTI. “She should ask either her uncle or father to declare that there will be no more talks,” he said, and added, “We are already imprisoned, and will spend more time in jail. However, negotiations are in the interest of the country. And they must continue.”

However, he went on to say, the PTI was not dying for talks.  

Ejaz said that Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had issued his production orders. “But the jail officials did not let me go to attend the session. This amounts to an insult to the Senate chairman.”

He said he wanted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to take notice of that. “What these people have done to the PPP now, they have been doing this to the party since the beginning,” he added. 

PTI leader said that the country’s economy was not improving. “Until and unless there is political stability in the country, there cannot be economic development,” he  

He said that Pakistan was a first priority for the party. “Next comes the turn of our martyrs and missing persons. We can never forget them.”

PTI’s Dr. Yasmin Rashid speaks to media 

In an informal chat with journalists, PTI leader Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that the government, which was the product of Form 47, ignored the production orders issued by the Senate chairman. “The PTI senator was not allowed to attend the session. We strongly condemn it,” she added.

Dr. Yasmin lamented that the government was involved in the blatant violation of human rights. “Our workers were given punishments by military courts. Hundreds of our workers are presently languishing in jails.”

Reporter: Jamaluddin Jamali