An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad grants post-arrest bail to former senator Mushtaq Ahmad and 95 other accused in a case linked to a protest connected to unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The court hears bail applications on Monday and approves bail with surety bonds of Rs5,000 each for the 96 people, including Ahmad.
The case begins with a first information report (FIR) registered on July 31 at Islamabad’s Shalimar Police Station, using terrorism-related provisions. The FIR alleges Ahmad led a crowd estimated at 400–500 people in Sector F-10 and made “incendiary” speeches via loudspeakers, prompting shop closures and slogans against the “current government institutions.” It also alleges the gathering followed instructions to disperse after the administration said it lacked a no-objection certificate (NOC), later involving road blockage near Shalimar Plaza, vandalism of a media DSNG vehicle and private cars, and stone-pelting and attacks on police.
Outlet reports agree on the bail decision and the involvement of Ahmad and 95 others. They differ mainly in emphasis: Dawn details the procedural and factual allegations, while Express Tribune highlights the range of legal provisions under which charges are framed, citing laws including the Pakistan Penal Code, Peaceful Assembly, Public Order Act, and Anti-Terrorism Act.
