Three MQM women released on bail in media house attack case

Karachi

Granted bail on Saturday by an anti-terrorism court (ATC), three female workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday secured their bails after depositing surety bonds of Rs200,000, liable to be paid by each of them.

Following their release the three women, Qurat-ul-Ain, Rabia and Sumera paid a visit to the temporary headquarters of the MQM set-up in PIB colony where they were welcomed by their families and party workers.

Arrested following August 22’s events when party workers took to the streets on MQM’s founding member, Altaf Hussain’s, instigation, the women were charged with rioting and sedition.

A judge of ATC-VIII approved the bail pleas of the women against surety bonds
of Rs100,000 each for the two cases they were implicated in.

Filing bail pleas of the women, their counsel argued that his clients were neither involved in the riots nor did they chant slogans against the country.

He argued that keeping his clients in jail was tantamount to disgracing them as they had not done anything wrong and were falsely implicated in the case.

The three women whenever were produced before the ATC concerned, chanted slogans for the country’s sovereignty to dispel impressions of the women desiring to disintegrate the country.

Opposing the bail pleas, the prosecution argued that the police had sufficient evidence in CCTV footage against the women where they could be seen chanting ‘anti-state’ slogans and vandalising public and private properties.

The judge after hearing arguments ordered that the release of the women on bail and observed to ensure that they were not allowed to leave the country during the trial.

Dozens of MQM workers and leaders including Shahid Pasha, MNA Kunwar Naveed Jamil and Qamar Mansoor were facing trial on the same charges.

The Investigation Officer (IO) had reported that around 1,500 to 2,000 activists were involved in the case.

He had alleged that MQM – Pakistan chief Dr Farooq Sattar and other leaders were also involved in the incident and were absconders.