Rights activist Gulalai Ismail’s father secures bail from court

PESHAWAR: A court here granted bail to retired professor Mohammad Ismail, the father of the US-based Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) activist Gulalai Ismail.

The 66-year old Mohammad Ismail was arrested on terrorism charges earlier this year. His daughter said he is likely to be released a day later.

Gulalai Ismail, who escaped to the US in 2019 to avoid arrest after raids on her house, maintained that her father was arrested to silence her. She has sought political asylum in the US and is active on the social media in support of the PTM and other progressive groups.

Her mother Uzlifat Ismail along with her father was also charged with financing acts of terrorism. The family has denied these allegations.

Mohammad Ismail is also facing charges of sharing anti-state content on social media and criticizing the government and the armed forces.

Though he secured bail from the court, the charges against him are still there and he will have to face trial.