Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail questioned why holding rallies was being compared to terrorism as the Supreme Court granted bail to five suspects connected to the May 9 attacks case. Last year, protests erupted across the country after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was taken by the paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court.Â
These protests turned violent with incidents of rioting and vandalism at places like the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
In August, the Rawalpindi police included terrorism charges in three FIRs related to the attacks on military installations. Despite the Lahore High Court granting bail, 36 PTI activists were arrested and detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). Over 230 suspects have been detained in connection to the GHQ attack case, including Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
During the bail petition hearing for suspects involved in the Hamza Camp attack, Justice Mandokhail, alongside Justices Hasan Azhar Rizvi and Musarrat Hilali, criticized the police and prosecution for their inadequate investigation. He questioned the justification for including terrorism charges and highlighted the lack of evidence beyond police statements. Justice Mandokhail emphasized that protesting or being a political party member is not a crime, criticizing the overreach of detention and calling for a more rational approach to handling such situations.
He also pointed out discrepancies in the evidence and questioned the relevance of certain witnesses. Justice Rizvi echoed concerns about the lack of substantial evidence beyond police testimony. The judge emphasized the need for a fair and thorough investigation rather than blanket detentions.