The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted protective bail to TikToker Muhammad Ansar Jatt, alias “Mr Pattlo”, after a stampede at his mehndi (henna) event in Sialkot claimed two lives.
asserted
stampede → grant → lives
Jatt had announced holding a mehndi event and prize-distribution ceremony at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road on Friday night; however, with hundreds gathered at the site, a stampede occurred when the stadium gates opened, killing two and injuring 18 people.
asserted
gates → announce → people
Subsequently, a first information report (FIR) was registered on October 31 at the Motra Police Station, naming Jatt, his brother, the owner of Faraz Cricket Ground, six others, and 40-45 unidentified security guards.
asserted
report → register → Ground
On Tuesday, IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar approved the protective — also known as transitory — bail for the TikToker until Nov 10, allowing him to avoid arrest while he approaches the relevant court to seek legal remedy.
asserted
he → approve → remedy
He surrendered before the court in a wheelchair.
asserted
He → surrender → wheelchair
Jatt had filed a petition, seeking the court’s intervention to prevent his arrest before he could reach the court of competent jurisdiction.
uncertain
he → file → jurisdiction
Advocates Barrister Qasim Nawaz Abbasi and Barrister Raja Ali Abbas Jalap filed the petition on his behalf.
asserted
Abbasi → file → behalf
According to the legal document, Jatt was named in the FIR, which was registered under Sections 322 (punishment for qatl-i-khata), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt), 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 109 (punishment of abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read with Section 16 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
uncertain
which → accord → Ordinance
During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the FIR was registered outside the IHC’s territorial jurisdiction.
asserted
FIR → argue → jurisdiction
However, the counsel maintained that the sole object of seeking protective bail was to enable a suspect present within the jurisdiction of one court to safely approach the court where the case was registered without being arrested on the way.
asserted
case → maintain → way
“The merits of the case are not required to be examined at this stage,” the petition stated, adding that without the protection, the petitioner’s right to seek pre-arrest bail before a Sialkot court would be rendered illusory.
asserted
right → require → court
The petition further contended that the allegations levelled against the petitioner were “false, frivolous, and baseless,” claiming that he had been falsely implicated.
It was also brought to the court’s notice that the petitioner had no previous criminal record and that no other petition seeking the same relief had been filed before any other court.
asserted
petition → contend → court
After hearing the arguments, Justice Dogar granted the relief, noting the temporary and limited nature of the protective bail and allowing the petitioner time to surrender before the appropriate forum.
asserted
Dogar → hear → forum
On Sunday, Sialkot police said they had arrested six suspects in relation to the incident.
asserted
they → say → incident
Police said Jatt immediately fled the scene after the incident, adding that their investigation and raid teams were conducting operations to apprehend the TikTok influencer.
asserted
teams → say → influencer
Sialkot District Police Officer Dost Muhammad confirmed that the six arrested individuals were involved in managing the event.
asserted
individuals → confirm → event
According to the DPO, organisers had invited a large number of people by advertising a lucky draw featuring prizes such as motorcycles, a car and other valuable items via social media.
uncertain
organisers → accord → media
During the event, an announcement was made over the loudspeakers instructing all attendees to enter the grounds simultaneously.
asserted
announcement → make → grounds
This simultaneous entry into the sports stadium triggered a severe stampede, the DPO said.
asserted
DPO → trigger → stampede
He stated that the organisers violated the terms of their permit, as well as established safety standard operating procedures (SOPs).
asserted
organisers → state → procedures
The stampede also disrupted the flow of traffic on the main Daska-Sialkot Road.
asserted
stampede → disrupt → Road
The Sialkot DPO declared that legal action would be taken against all those responsible for the incident, without any discrimination.
asserted
action → declare → discrimination
The Aporia
