The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday granted protective bail to TikToker Muhammad Ansar Jatt, popularly known as “Mr Pattlo”, until November 10 in connection with a stampede at his mehndi ceremony in Sialkot that left two people dead and 18 injured.
IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar approved the temporary relief after Jatt appeared before the court in a wheelchair, seeking protection from arrest while approaching the relevant court in Sialkot.
The incident occurred on Friday night at Faraz Cricket Ground on Daska Road, where Jatt had organised a mehndi celebration and prize-distribution ceremony.
Hundreds of people had gathered at the venue when a stampede broke out as the stadium gates opened, resulting in two deaths and injuries to 18 others.
Following the tragedy, police registered a first information report (FIR) on October 31 at Motra Police Station, naming Jatt, his brother, the cricket ground’s owner, six other individuals and approximately 40 to 45 unidentified security guards.
The case was registered under several provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code, including those relating to accidental homicide, rioting, unlawful assembly, public obstruction and abetment, alongside Section 16 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960.
Jatt’s lawyers, Barrister Qasim Nawaz Abbasi and Barrister Raja Ali Abbas Jalap, argued that the petition sought only temporary protection to allow their client to approach the appropriate court without facing arrest during the journey.
“The merits of the case are not required to be examined at this stage,” the petition stated.
The lawyers maintained that denying protective bail would effectively prevent Jatt from exercising his right to seek pre-arrest bail before the relevant court in Sialkot.
The petition also described the allegations against him as “false, frivolous, and baseless”, claiming that he had been wrongly implicated in the case.
His legal representatives further informed the court that Jatt had no previous criminal record and had not filed a similar petition before another court.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Dogar granted protective bail until November 10, emphasising its temporary and limited nature.
The order allows Jatt to approach the competent court for further legal relief but does not determine his guilt or innocence in connection with the stampede.
The investigation into the incident and the circumstances that led to the deaths and injuries remains a separate matter for the relevant authorities.