KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday granted six-day protective bail to around 95 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), including its election candidates, in a case pertaining to staging a rally in Clifton and violence on Sunday.

A two-judge bench of SHC, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, granted protective bail to around the applicants, including five women, against a surety bond of Rs30,000 each.

Observing that bail applications were being allowed without touching the merit of the case, the bench directed the applicants to surrender before the trial court/administrative judge of antiterrorism courts, Karachi within six days.

PTI leaders Saif-ur-Rehman, Raja Azhar, Attaullah, Amjad Afridi, Masroor Sial, Shah Nawaz Jadoon, Arsalan Khalid, Jamal Siddiqui, Riaz Haider were among the 95 applicants.

While PTI workers, including women, approached the SHC, a heavy contingent of police remained deployed outside the main gate and other exit points of the high court throughout the day.

Police pick up 18 activists booked for violence in Teen Talwar rally

Lawyers belonging to the PTI submitted that some of the workers were whisked away by police when they stepped out of the high court after obtaining bail. They met with SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi and informed him about the presence of police.

Later, they informed the media that the CJ asked the SHC registrar to convey his directives to the inspector general of police to withdraw his force else contempt proceedings will be initiated against him and others.

Subsequently, the police left the area at around 7pm in the evening, paving the way for party’s workers and aspirants to leave the SHC peacefully.

PTI’s legal wing president Zahoor Mehsud said that 95 party workers and candidates contesting the Feb 8 general elections obtained bail. Four of them were taken into custody when they came out of the SHC, he claimed.

According to the prosecution, the Frere police had registered a case against over 130 leaders and activists as well as 5,000 unknown persons for staging a rally near Teen Talwar, attacking police and resorting to violence on Jan 28.

Meanwhile, police conducted raids in different parts of the city, particularly South district, and arrested 18 more workers of the PTI for allegedly staging the Sunday violent rally.

South DIG Syed Asad Raza said that police conducted 38 raids in Clifton, Frere, Docks, Boat Basin and arrested the suspects.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024