May 11, 2022
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
The Sindh High Court has granted bail to Ali Wazir, member of the National Assembly and leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), in the second of three cases in which he was arrested for allegedly making anti-state speeches.
However, the legislator has still to secure bail in a third case registered against him before he could be released from jail in Karachi where he has been incarcerated for over 17 months. Qadir Khan, counsel for Ali Wazir in the trial court, told Voicepk.net that the MNA had been nominated in five first information reports (FIRs) over anti-state speeches in Karachi.
The counsel said Ali Wazir was arrested in three cases registered with Sohrab Goth Police Station and Shah Latif police station respectively. All cases carry similar charges, he pointed out.
On May 11, the Sindh High Court granted him bail in one of the two cases registered with Shah Latif police station. “We will move bail application in the anti-terrorism court tomorrow (May 11) in the second case registered with Shah Latif Police case,” Qadir Khan said. The case relates to a speech made by Ali Wazir during a corner meeting at the residence of PTM activist Aman Khattak during his stay in Karachi in December 2020.
The counsel said he would plead before the trial court to grant his client bail as the charges of the case are similar to those in cases in which the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court have granted bail to Ali Wazir. “If the anti-terrorism court accepts the bail application in the third case, Ali Wazir will be released from prison,” Qadir Khan said.
In November, the Supreme Court had granted him bail in the case registered with Sohrab Goth Police Station for allegedly insulting state institutions at a PTM public gathering in Karachi. Ali Wazir was arrested from Peshawar on December 16 and brought to Karachi to stand trial in the case.
Fellow legislator from Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar welcomed the SHC’s decision, hoping the courts would do justice by granting Ali Wazir bail in the third case too.
“Sindh High Court has granted bail to Ali Wazir in the Shah Lateef Town case today which is great news for all of us. Ali’s bail in one more case is to be heard in ATC tomorrow. We are hoping for the courts to do justice and hope he will be granted bail by the ATC,” Mohsin Dawar said in his tweet.