Safoora attack: two ‘financiers’ granted bail

A local court granted bail to Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, vice chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society, and his accomplice, Sajid Naeem alias Pena, in an illegal arms case against a sum of Rs200,000 (each) on Wednesday.

A case was registered against them with the Sharae Faisal police for allegedly facilitating the Safoora bus attack case. Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, his brother Hussain Qamar Siddiqui and another associate Sajid Naeem alias Pino were among over 10 people arrested on charges of financing the attackers.

Sultan Qamar Siddiqui was picked up by the Sindh Rangers in July and detained for 90 days under the Pakistan Protection Act. He was later remanded to the police along with his accomplices on September 15.

The weapons used in the attack were said to have been purchased in the name of Hussain Qamar Siddiqui, while Sajid Pino and another accused Zahid Motiwala were said to have provided licenses for them.

Initially said to be a member of al Qaeda and one of the key financiers of the Safoora bus attackers, Sheeba Ahmed was later granted bail against a sum of Rs200,000 by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) over a lack of evidence linking him to the attack.

The two accused have now been granted bail by the court of the additional district and sessions judge (East).

Ahmed was arrested from his bungalow located in DHA, Karachi, by officials of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), on the basis of information disclosed during interrogation by Saad Aziz and Azhar Ishrat - two of the six suspects said to have attacked the bus.

However, he was granted bail due to a lack of evidence against him. The detained accused had claimed that Ahmed was not only their preacher, but had also financially assisted them in carrying out the attack. 

An official had said that Ahmed had connections in neighbouring countries and financed terrorists using the money he earned through his export business.  He added that Ahmed was a hate preacher and had incited the men involved in the Safoora bus firing to attack the Ismaili community. However no connection could be proved and that accused was also granted bail.

Saad Aziz alias Tin Tin, Tahir Hussain Minhas alias Sain, Asad-ur-Rehman alias Malik, Hafiz Nasir alias Yasir and Mohammad Azhar Ishrat alias Majid had been charge-sheeted for the attack that claimed the lives of over 45 members of the Ismaili community. Onboard a community bus, they were passing through the Safoora Chowrangi on the morning of May 13, 2015 when they were attacked by gunmen.