Sedition charge replaced with terrorism charge in FIR against 23 PTM protesters, IHC told.

ISLAMABAD -- The Islamabad High Court on Monday granted post-arrest bail to activists who had been detained for protesting against the arrest of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the plea and granted bail to 23 activists belonging to PTM and Awami Workers Party (AWP).

At the outset of the hearing, the Islamabad deputy commissioner and deputy inspector general of police informed the court that Section 124-A (sedition) of the Pakistan Penal Code had been deleted from the First Information Report (FIR) against the activists. Instead, the investigating officer has added Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997, in the case against them, the IHC was told.

The IHC in its written order noted that, "A plain reading of the FIR shows that the offences mentioned therein are, prima facie, not attracted. There is also no material on the record in support of the assertions made in the FIR."

The court also observed that Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Sohail, who had last week declined to grant post-arrest bail to the PTM activists saying prima facie it was a terrorism case, "appears to have exceeded jurisdiction by making observations [regarding terrorism ...] without having regard to the recently enunciated law by the august Supreme Court regarding scope of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997".

"Moreover, the observations recorded by the learned judge are not in consonance with the principles of fair trial," the order said.

During today's hearing, Justice Minallah expressed his displeasure at the Islamabad police chief's absence from the court.

"We did not expect this of your government. You are the representative of the state here, it is the state's job to protect its people," Justice...