SHC grants protective bail to PTI leaders, activists in Clifton riot case

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday granted protective bail to Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf candidates for elections to national and provincial assemblies’ seats and others in the Clifton riot case.

PTI leaders Attaullah, Shakil Ahmed Masroor Ali, Raja Azhar, Amjad Afridi, Arsalan Khalid, Faisal Ali, Shahnawaz Jadoon, Irfan Jilani, Saif Bari, Shaheena Siddiqui, Barrister Uzair Ali Khan, Ali Tahir and others had approached the SHC for obtaining protective bail in the rioting case registered at the Frere police station.

According to the police, over four to five thousands leaders and activists of the PTI gathered at Teen Talwar, attacked police with batons when they tried to stop them for blocking the roads and injured eight police personnel.

The applicants’ counsel submitted that the FIR for offences under sections 109,147,148,149,342, 353,324,337-A,395,427 of the PPC read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act has been registered against the applicants for political considerations.

They submitted that the applicants were advocates, candidates of national and provincial assemblies’ seats in the upcoming general elections and in case they were arrested by the police with ulterior motives humiliation would be caused to them.

A division bench, headed by Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto, granting protective bail to the applicants for six days, issued notices to the advocate general of Sindh and prosecutor general. The court directed the applicants and petitioners to surrender before the trial court and join the investigation forthwith.

The counsel for the PTI, Wahab Baloch, later told journalists that over 130 bail applications were filed before the court for grant of protective bail. He said that despite the bail order PTI candidate for NA seat Arsalan Khalid and other 12 persons were still missing. He said that the PTI would petition for the recovery and whereabouts of the missing PTI leaders and activists if they were not released by the police.