Haleem, Azhar granted bail in May 9 riots case

An anti-terrorism court on Monday granted post-arrest bail to Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf president Haleem Adil Sheikh and ex-MPA Raja Azhar in a case pertaining to the May 9 riots.

Sheikh, along with other senior PTI leaders and 800-900 workers, has been booked in several cases of violence and arson during protests against the arrest of their party chief and former prime minister Imran Khan on May 9.

The former lawmakers moved an application before the ATC-XV judge seeking post-arrest bail in a case lodged at the Tipu Sultan police station. The judge announced his order after hearing arguments from defence and prosecution sides.

He granted bail to the PTI leaders, subject to the submission of a surety of Rs100,000 each. Sheikh and Azhar, however, could not be released following the grant of the bail since they were yet to obtain bail in three other similar cases, according to defence lawyer Rehman Mahesar.

The cases have been lodged under 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 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempted murder) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act at different police stations.