ATC orders release of MQM-P leader on bail

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) ordered on Thursday the release of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Shahid Pasha on bail in one of several media house attack cases against him.

The court was hearing cases pertaining to charges of chanting anti-country slogans and attacking media houses in the Saddar area.

Pasha along with other party leaders and workers was arrested after MQM founder Altaf Hussain made a controversial speech which was followed by party activists attacking media houses on August 22 last year.

While many party leaders and workers were granted bail in the cases, Shahid Pasha, Qamar Mansoor, Gulfraz Khattak and others were sent to judicial remand. Later on, MQM-P leaders Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Waseem Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui and Kanwar Naveed Jameel were also granted interim bail by the trial court.

Despite getting bail, Pasha may not be released from prison as he is yet to get bail in an identical case which is still pending before the court.

Pasha was among leaders, including Qamar Mansoor and Kunwar Naveed Jameel, who had plead not guilty and they had chanted pro-state slogans when they were brought to the court at their first hearing date. They had also announced distancing themselves from the MQM founder and supporting the MQM-Pakistan led by Dr Farooq Sattar.

Earlier on May 25, an ATC granted bail to MQM-P leader Amir Khan against Rs50,000 in each of the four media house attack cases.

Khan, senior deputy convener of the party, and MQM-P chief Dr Farooq Sattar had already obtained protective bail in several such cases from the Sindh High Court (SHC) after the court had directed the director general of the paramilitary Rangers in the province to ensure their arrests.

Sattar has obtained bail in 31 cases registered against him at different police stations over charges of listening to MQM founder Altaf Hussain’s controversial speech of August 22, 2016, as well as of acting as a facilitator of alleged outlaws involved in terrorist activities.

The cases against Khan and other leaders of his party were registered at Sachal, Malir City and other police stations.