Afaq Ahmed released from jail after bail granted in third case

Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmed was released from jail on Tuesday after a sessions court granted him bail in a third case pertaining to allegedly setting fire to a tanker in Surjani Town.

Ahmed was arrested from his DHA residence and was initially booked in two cases lodged at the Landhi and Awami Colony police stations for allegedly instigating people to torch heavy vehicles operating in the city in violation of a ban on their movement during daytime. He was later arrested in another case lodged at the Surjani police station pertaining to allegedly torching a tanker near Abdullah Mor in Surjani Town.

On Tuesday, Additional Sessions Judge (West) Muhammad Aslam Shaikh granted bail to the MQM-H chief in the third case against a surety of Rs100,000.

The court ordered jail authorities to release him forthwith if he was no more required in any other case with intimation to this court without fail. His lawyer confirmed to The News that Afaq was released from the central prison following the session court's order granting bail to him.

During the hearing, the counsel contended that his client was innocent and had been falsely been implicated in this crime by the police with mala fide intention and ulterior motives. He said that Afaq's name was not mentioned in the FIR nor had any specific role been assigned to him in the alleged commission of offence. He argued that if any video of "hateful speech" of the MQM-H chief was available on social media it required to be examined forensically to check its authenticity. The court, therefore, was pleaded to grant bail to him.

Last week, an anti-terrorism court granted him bail in the two cases lodged under rioting and terrorism charges. The two FIRs were 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), and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage.