LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday approved a prosecution`s request for amending the indictment of PTI leaders and activists in six cases, including Askari Tower attack and burning of the Shadman Police Station during the May 9 riots.

ATC-I judge Manzer Ali Gill allowed six separate applications filed through Deputy Prosecutor General Muhammad Azir in as many cases.

The prosecution stated that the charges against the accused had been framed in a vague and complex manner as multiple offences had been clubbed together under one head. It said any accused at a later stage of the trial could take an undue advantage to secure their acquittal in the cases.

The prosecution said the trial in all six cases was at initial stage and the proposed amendments to the charge would not cause any delay in the conclusion of the trial.

It pointed out that only statements of the witnesses had been recorded and their cross-exami-nation was yet to be conducted by the defence. Therefore, the prosecutionargued,thechargesframed by the trial court might be amended in a way that each offence placed in a separate head of charge in the interest of justice and fair play.

After allowing the prosecution plea, the judge fixed Feb 20 for fresh indictment in the Shadman Police Station attack case and Feb 24 in other cases.

The judge conducted the hearing at the Kot Lakhpat Jail.

The PTI leaders, including Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid, former governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and former provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, have been indicted in these cases.

Other indicted accused include PTI social media activists Sanam Javed and Tayyaba Raja, former MNAs Aliya Hamza Malik and Rubina Jamil, and fashion designer Khadija Shah. Staff Reporter