SHC reaffirms Mirza's protective bail till May 9
Pakistan
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered authorities to refrain from arresting former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza until May 9 after a fifth case was registered against him.
On Wednesday, Mirza was given until May 9 to appear before the trial court in connection with four cases.
Read more: Protective bail of former home minister extended till 9th
But the filing of an additional case against him ? followed by a siege of his property by Badin police once again ? prompted Mirza to file another petition on Thursday, requesting protective bail until the hearing of the fifth case.
The SHC on Friday granted his request, and Sindh Advocate General Fateh Mailk ordered that Mirza not be arrested before May 9 so that he could appear in court for hearings of the five cases against him.
The SHC also forbade the filing of new cases against Mirza.
Previously, Mirza had been granted protective bail until May 6, but the date was extended to May 9 so that he could appear in court.
Read more: Dr Mirza granted pre-arrest bail in four cases
Although attorney general Fateh Malik had earlier contended that there was no provision in the law to provide security to a former home minister, the SHC told Mirza he would be provided security.
Three cases against Zulfiqar Mirza under the Anti-Terrorism Act were also transferred to a Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) from a Badin ATC.
Mirza was charged with damaging a police station and forcibly closing down traders’ shops during protests in Badin on Sunday, May 3. The hearings for the three cases will be held tomorrow in a Karachi ATC.
Read more: Cases under anti-terror act registered against Zulfiqar Mirza
The SHC also ordered Zulfiqar Mirza to refrain from speaking out against PPP MNA Faryal Talpur until May 11.
A hearing was held regarding Talpur’s petition that requested she become party to the case in which the trial court had issued notices preventing Mirza from speaking against her until May 11. A decision on her request is pending.
Mirza had filed a petition claiming Faryal Talpur and various individuals were receiving illegal security, saying that 250 personnel alone had been deployed to protect Talpur.
Read more: Dr Mirza warned against criticising PPP co-chairman
PPP MNA and former National Assembly speaker ? and spouse of Zulfiqar Mirza ? Dr Fehmida Mirza had earlier this week alleged that law-enforcement agencies under the provincial government were deliberately creating a situation that could ultimately lead to bloodshed.
Up to 400 policemen backed by two dozen mobile vans were seen deployed within a radius of five kilometres around Mirza Farms on Thursday.
Fehmida said opponents of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza were being pitted against his supporters to provoke a showdown. The police wanted to disturb peace in the district, she alleged, adding that innocent people were being involved in the political dispute and had been booked in false and fabricated cases.
She demanded immediate transfer of SSP Khalid Mustafa Korai from Badin, saying that a siege of her family farms had once again been laid by hundreds of policemen a day after the situation had eased.
Read more: Party issues show-cause notice to Fehmida Mirza
