Release imminent as Saleem Shahzad gets bail in last two cases

Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Saleem Shahzad is now expected to be released from prison as a sessions court on Friday granted him bail in the two remaining cases against him for a sum of Rs1.5 million.

After hearing the arguments in the Shoiabullah murder case and a case pertaining to attack on the house of Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed’s brother in Lnadhi area, the court deemed it fit to grant bail to the ailing Shahzad.

In the murder case, he was granted bail in the sum of Rs1m, whereas in the attack case, which was registered by Afaq Ahmed’s sister, the bail was granted bail in the sum of Rs500,000.

Shehzad has already been granted bail in two other cases pertaining to ransacking by the court of district and sessions judge (East). In these cases, the court granted him bail against a surety bond of Rs500,000 each.

These four old cases, which were earlier abandoned under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) introduced by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, were reopened against Shahzad on the orders of the apex court that abandoned the NRO.

In these cases, Shehzad is accused of ransacking, disturbing law and order, and causing threats to some citizens in areas of Malir district in 1992.

The former MQM leader is facing cases registered with the Landhi and the Khokhrapar police stations and other police stations located in Malir.

On his return to Pakistan, Saleem Shehzad was arrested in a terror case and later was granted the ‘B-class’ facility in the prison and also granted bail in the terror case as most of the political leaders of different parties, who are co-accused in this case, have been granted bail by the trial court.

The ATC concerned had remanded Shehzad to the central prison on February 7. He was granted bail on March 11 but could not get his release order due to the other cases pending against him. Shehzad was earlier being treated as an absconding accused in a terror case along with former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain, Waseem Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui, Qadir Patel, Usman Mozzam, Anis Qaimkhani and others.

The ATC had issued around 10 times non-bailable arrest warrants for him in the famous case of provision of shelter and treatment to outlaws and criminals by Dr Asim Hussain, who was allegedly asked by political leaders of different parties, including Saleem Shehzad, Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar, Qadir Patel, Usman Moazzam, Anis Qaimkhani and others.

In this terror case, almost all accused political leaders, including Dr Asim Hussain, have been granted bail.