Punjab govt moves Lahore HC against bail granted to Imran Khan's nephew

The Punjab government in Pakistan has moved the Lahore High Court against pre-arrest bail granted to Advocate Hassaan Niazi, nephew of Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with seven other lawyers by a trial court in Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) attack case.

"The learned trial court has granted bail to the accused persons in a hasty manner without applying its judicial mind," said the government's appeal filed through prosecutor general of Punjab on Saturday.

A group of more than 200 lawyers, who had an ongoing 'tussle' with the doctors of the PIC, had stormed the hospital on December 11, vandalised property and damaged dozens of vehicles. They also set ablaze a police van during their assault.

At least 52 lawyers were arrested after the attack and presented before the court following the incident.

The appeal, meanwhile, argued that the accused were involved in attacking the institute, torched a police van and also attacked policemen.

It said, during the incident, some of the patients had lost their lives at the hospital because of the removal of their oxygen masks by the accused persons.

The accused were involved in causing grievous damage to the hospital's property as well as expensive medical equipment, the appeal added.

It further argued that the trial court while granting bail to the accused was bound to see tentative assessment, but it deeply appreciated the facts and evidence, which prejudiced the case of the prosecution.

The Punjab government asked the LHC to set aside the bail granting order of the trial court for being against the law and facts of the case.

The police had lodged two First Information Reports against more than 250 lawyers.

The police made several attempts to arrest Niazi, after a viralled video showed him actively participating in the attack, but with futile attempts.

Last month, a committee comprising senior lawyers and doctors reached reconciliation in a bid to end hostilities. However, it decided that cases pending before courts would be processed as per law.