In a dramatic turn of events, two prominent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, former Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, and Umar Tanvir Butt, have retracted their statements made under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi.

The two leaders filed a petition in the ATC, claiming they had never given any statement against former Prime Minister Imran Khan as promised witnesses. They asserted that Khan had always encouraged them to engage in peaceful struggle and that their previous statements, which contained serious allegations against him, were not true.

The petition, filed by their lawyer, Muhammad Faisal Malik, was admitted by the ATC. The court, presided over by Judge Malik Aijaz Asif, will hear the petition today at Adiala Jail.

Judge Asif has already arrived at the jail, along with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Senator Azam Khan Swati, and several lawyers representing the accused.

Read more:

Bushra Bibi discharged in 12 cases related to May 9 events

Ex-PM Khan to offer ‘conditional apology’ for May 9 events

KP govt asks PHC to form judicial commission on May 9

The two leaders were among those arrested in connection with the violence on May 9.