PTI leaders to be shifted to prisons outside Karachi

On the recommendation of the Government of Sindh, the home department has cancelled the sub-jail order of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Zaidi, directing that he and former provincial assembly opposition leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi be shifted to the Jacobabad and Sukkur jails.

Officials said that the move comes after a high level meeting that took place in Sindh, where it was decided that the order declaring Zaidi’s residence a sub-jail be withdrawn and he be shifted to the Jacobabad jail. The home department’s sub-jail notification had been issued on Monday night.

The PTI leader had been arrested on May 9 following the mayhem in the Baloch Colony area. His family then filed a petition with the Sindh High Court challenging his detention, following which during a meeting held to review law and order, the provincial government decided to declare Zaidi’s house a sub-jail.

The decision had been made exercising the powers conferred under Section 541(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, Section 6(a) of the Sindh Prisons & Corrections Services Act 2019, and Rule 2(1)(s) of the Sindh Prisons & Corrections Services Rules 2019.

The PTI leader was to remain under house arrest until further orders. According to the order, officials nominated by the prisons chief were responsible for the supervision and administration of the sub-jail.

On Wednesday, however, the home department cancelled and withdrew the order declaring Zaidi’s house a sub-jail, and directed the police heads to shift the PTI leader to the Jacobabad jail.

The latest order of the home department reads: “This department’s notification of even number, dated May 15, 2023, regarding the declaration of the house situated at 17th Lane, Khayaban-e-Badban, Phase VII, DHA, Karachi, as a sub-jail in respect of Ali Zaidi (MNA), son of Syed Sajjad Haider Zaidi, is hereby cancelled and withdrawn with immediate effect.

“In pursuance of the home department’s order dated May 17, 2023, the custody of Ali Zaidi (MNA), son of Syed Sajjad Haider Zaidi, shall be placed under the supervision of the superintendent, District Prison Jacobabad.”

The order also mentioned a corrigendum: “This department’s corrigendum of even number, dated May 15, 2023, regarding the detention of Ali Zaidi (MNA), son of Syed Sajjad Haider Zaidi, at the sub-jail declared vide the home department’s notification dated May 15, 2023, is hereby withdrawn and cancelled.

“Consequent to the withdrawal of the corrigendum, the order of even number dated May 12, 2023, shall continue, and the detainee Ali Zaidi (MNA), son of Syed Sajjad Haider Zaidi, shall be detained at the District Prison Jacobabad.”

Copies of the order were also sent to the Sindh police chief, the commissioners of Karachi and Larkana, and the DIGs of the South Range, Karachi, and Larkana. The order also mentioned that the SSPs of District Keamari-South, Karachi, and Jacobabad with two spare copies for service upon the above-mentioned detainee and return a copy to the home department for record.

Another order of shifting PTI leader Naqvi to the Sukkur jail was also issued. The order reads: “In continuation and partial modification of this department’s order of even number dated May 14, 2023, Syed Firdous Shamim Naqvi, son of Syed Shamim ul Hassan Naqvi, residing in KDA Scheme, Karsaz Road, Karachi, detained under MPO 1960, may be detained at the Central Prison Sukkur instead of the District Prison Malir, Karachi.”

Naqvi remanded

An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday remanded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Firdous Shamim Naqvi and 28 workers of the opposition party to prison, while two others were remanded in police custody in two May 9 rioting cases.

Naqvi, along with other party workers, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in staging violent protests on Sharea Faisal following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan on May 9.

On Wednesday, 16 suspects arrested by the Tipu Sultan police and 15 others by the Ferozabad police were produced before the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts on the expiry of their physical remand in police custody. The investigation officer requested an extension in their physical remand for the completion of the investigations and other formalities.

Defence lawyers, including Zahoor Mahsud, opposed the police’s request, stating that the PTI workers had been detained without their names mentioned in FIRs, adding that no role in alleged violence had been attributed to them nor CDR of their mobile phones had been placed on record to show they were present at the scene during protests.

The judge extended the police remand of the father-son duo arrested for allegedly torching a Rangers check post on Sharea Faisal near Nursery and sent the rest to prison on judicial remand. He directed the jail authorities to provide medical facilities to the PTI leader.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel filed applications seeking the release of Naqvi and other party workers on bail. The bail pleas will likely to come up for hearing today (Thursday).

The two FIRs have been registered under the sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 153 (inciting to riot), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 337 A (shajjah), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Zaidi not to quit PTI

Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Ali Zaidi said on Wednesday he is not leaving his party but he condemns the May 9 attacks on military installations.

“I condemn the May 9 incidents. Whatever happened on May 9 was terrorism,” the former federal minister told journalists in Karachi outside a private hospital where he had come for treatment.

Zaidi, other top-tier party leaders, and hundreds of workers have been rounded up after May 9 when PTI Chairman Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir corruption case.

Zaidi had earlier been arrested under Section 4 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance. He had been put under house arrest and his residence in the port city was declared a sub-jail.

Recalling the attacks on Radio Pakistan’s Peshawar office, Lahore Corps Commander House, and the martyrs’ monument, Zaidi said he was “hurt”. He said: “We are from the Pakistan Army and the army is from us.”

The ex-federal minister noted that differences exist in a family as well, but people should not resort to violence.