The Peshawar High Court has approved the bail of the accused, Imtiaz alias Tora Shpa, who was arrested in connection with the Police Lines Peshawar suicide blast case.

The bail petition was heard by Justice Sahibzada Asadullah. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court ordered the release of the accused on bail.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel, Shabbir Gagiyani, argued that on January 30, 2023, a suicide blast at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines claimed the lives of more than 90 police personnel and left around 245 others injured. Imtiaz was arrested in the case on charges of facilitation.

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The lawyer informed the court that the trial has been ongoing in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) for the past three years but has not yet been completed.

 A total of 40 witnesses were nominated in the case, of whom statements of only nine have been recorded so far.

According to the defense counsel, the accused is under 18 years of age, and under the law, the trial of a juvenile must be completed within six months.

 He further stated that last year the SP CTD had sought a 90-day extension from the court to complete the trial, but despite three years having passed, the trial remains incomplete.

The lawyer argued that under the law, an accused cannot be kept in custody for an indefinite period until the conclusion of the trial.

After agreeing with the arguments, the court granted bail to the accused, Imtiaz alias Tora Shpa.