Haleem Adil granted bail in two violence, terrorism cases

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) president Haleem Adil Sheikh in two cases pertaining to rioting, arson and terrorism during the party’s long march held in May 2022.

Sheikh, along with other PTI leaders and activists, had been booked in two identical cases lodged at the Ferozabad and Soldier Bazaar police stations for their alleged involvement in violence, arson, assault on policemen and terrorism at the Numaish intersection on May 25, 2022.

The ATC-XV judge, who is hearing the cases in the judicial complex inside the central jail, pronounced his order after hearing arguments from both prosecution and defence sides.

He approved the bail of the former opposition leader against a surety of Rs100,000 each in the two cases and ordered the jail authorities to release him forthwith if his custody is not required in any other case. However, he could not be released immediately as he is yet to obtain bail in one more case lodged by the Tipu Sultan police over the May 9, 2023 rioting.

Sheikh’s lawyer contended that his client, who had been named in multiple case, was booked in the present two cases with mala fide intentions to keep him behind bars. He said co-accused had already been granted bail in these cases, requesting the judge to grant him bail as well.

According to the prosecution, the PTI leaders in violation of the ban imposed on public gatherings under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) had led a rally of 600 to 700 workers and gathered at Numaish. They allegedly provoked party workers to block the road and vandalise government properties.

The rally was held after PTI founder Imran Khan had given a countrywide call for the long march towards the federal capital, demanding of the then government to dissolve the assemblies and announce fresh elections.

The cases were registered at the Soldier Bazaar and Ferozabad police stations under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 324 (attempt to murder), 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of one hundred rupees or (in case of agricultural produce) ten rupees), 109 (abetment), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with the Section 7 (punishment for terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.