KARACHI:
A Karachi court on Tuesday granted bail to 12 workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who were detained on charges of rioting, stone-pelting, and attacking police during a protest rally in the metropolis on August 5.
The judicial magistrate for District East approved the bail pleas filed by defence lawyers and ordered the release of the accused against surety bonds of Rs5,000 each. Earlier, police had produced the accused before the court and sought their physical remand for further interrogation.
According to the investigation officer (IO), the PTI workers had blocked the road during a rally led by senior party leaders, including Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Awab Alvi, and Raja Azhar, at Hassan Square.
The IO claimed the protest turned violent when the accused pelted stones at law enforcers and attacked them with sticks, injuring a police officer identified as Aijaz.
The IO requested physical custody of the accused for criminal record office verification, adding that several other suspects were still at large.
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However, the court turned down police’s request and granted bail to all 12 accused, who were identified as Nadir, Abdul Rafi, Sarfraz Jameel, Fida Rehman, Nabi Ahmad, Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Ibrahim, Younus Khan, Zar Wali, Muhammad Hanif, Sohail Ahmad Memon, and Adnan.
Later, PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh visited the city court to meet the released workers. Speaking to media persons on the occasion, he said that the bail order was a victory for truth and justice.
The protest at Hassan Square was peaceful, and that the FIR registered against party workers was fabricated, he claimed. “Police used baton charge and fired shells on peaceful demonstrators,” he alleged, adding that his name was not included in the FIR but was later inserted in the remand papers.
He reiterated the party’s resolve to continue the protest movement until PTI founder Imran Khan is released from jail. “The frustration among the youth is growing with each passing day. Continued incarceration of Imran Khan is not in the country’s interest,” he added.
