Lahore: The Lahore High Court has granted bail to prominent fashion designer and PTI activist, Khadijah Shah, in two high-profile cases related to vandalism and arson. The charges were in connection with incidents that took place at the Lahore Corps Commander House and the Askari Tower in Gulberg on May 9.
The decision to grant bail was announced by a two-member bench of the high court, with Justice Alia Neelam presiding.
These cases of arson and vandalism were originally registered against Khadijah Shah at Sarwar Road and Gulberg police stations. The court had reserved its decision on the bail applications filed by Khadijah Shah and several co-accused on a previous hearing.
Notably, the other suspects involved in the cases include Usman Sharif, Muhammad Shahbaz, Suleiman Qadri, and Arbaaz, and the court had to decide on their post-arrest bails as well.
Khadijah Shah’s legal representative, lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa, expressed hope that her bail would prevent any further arrests. He pointed out that in the past, individuals had been re-arrested immediately after being released.
This development follows the Lahore High Court’s recent verdict in which Khadijah Shah had sought bail. Her previous bail pleas, filed in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore, were denied, leading her to pursue the matter with the Lahore High Court through a new petition.
However, as of Tuesday, the anti-terrorism court of Lahore extended the judicial remand of Khadijah Shah and other individuals arrested in the Corps Commander House arson case, setting the next hearing for October 31.
Furthermore, the court also ordered the judicial remand of Dr. Yasmin Rashid and Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed in a separate case related to the arson at the Shadman police station. The court adjourned the proceedings in this matter until October 31. Both individuals were produced before the court following a five-day physical remand.
These legal proceedings have generated significant public interest, and the granting of bail to Khadijah Shah marks a notable development in these high-profile cases.
