March 16, 2026
By Rehan Piracha
LAHORE
Former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Ali Wazir, was released from Sukkur Central Prison on Monday, March 16, 2026. His release follows a landmark ruling by the Sindh High Court (SHC) which declared his prolonged detention “illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.”
Final legal hurdles cleared
The release marks the end of a tumultuous legal saga that began with Wazir’s arrest in August 2024. Despite being granted bail in his final active case—a cybercrime matter—on March 10, bureaucratic “red tape” and administrative delays had kept him behind bars for an additional week.
Early Monday morning, Wazir’s legal team, led by senior counsel Imdad Hyder Solangi alongside Azhar Hussain Laghari and Badshah Pashteen, arrived at the SHC Circuit Court in Hyderabad to finalize the remaining formalities. The Additional Registrar subsequently issued the release writ for Muhammad Ali (alias Ali Wazir).
The process faced a brief final delay in the afternoon when officials at Sukkur Central Prison sought formal verification of the writ from the High Court. Once the verification was received, the prison administration processed the discharge, allowing Wazir to walk free.
A cycle of MPO detentions
Wazir’s legal representatives described his journey through the justice system as a “relentless cycle” of arrests. Since 2024, Wazir has faced multiple charges and at least three Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) warrants spanning Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, and Balochistan.
“Each time a court granted him bail or struck down a detention order, a new order would be issued by a different district administration to keep him in custody,” his legal team noted.
The constitutional bench, headed by Justice Arbab Ali Hakro and Justice Riazat Ali Sehar, ultimately ruled that continuing to hold Wazir without a pending trial or investigation violated Article 9 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty.
Health and future outlook
Supporters and family members have expressed significant concern regarding Wazir’s health. The PTM leader reportedly suffers from diabetes, hypertension, and a heart condition. His aides have alleged that he was denied consistent medical check-ups during his nearly two-year incarceration.