In court: Mirza’s protective bail extended till May 9

SHC dismisses former home minister's contempt petition against home secy, police authorities.


Our Correspondent May 06, 2015
Zulfiqar Mirza speaking to the media in Badin on Wednesday. PHOTO: ONLINE

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday extended the pre-arrest 'protective bail' granted to former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza till May 9 in cases relating to the ransacking of a police station in Badin district.

Headed by SHC chief justice Faisal Arab, the bench also ordered the relevant DIG to provide protection to enable Mirza to appear before the trial court.

Earlier, the former home minister's lawyer had filed a contempt application against the provincial home secretary, the Sindh IG, Hyderabad DIG, Badin SSP and others for not allowing him to surrender in court despite being granted protective bail by the high court.

His lawyer, Ashraf Samon, said that the police had, on May 3, registered four criminal cases against the petitioner, his supporter Nadeem Mughal and other companions for attacking Badin's Model Town police station, where Mirza had gone to register an FIR about an attempt to kidnap Mughal.

Samon added that, on May 4, the SHC had granted protective pre-arrest bail to Mirza till May 6. On Wednesday, however, a police contingent maintained its siege of the estranged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader's farmhouse in Badin, refusing to let him leave for court, he alleged.

The lawyer argued that this conduct on the part of the authorities amounted to wilfully and deliberately committing contempt of court, as they were informed about the bail but disobeyed the court order.

Samon said that Mirza had made statements about PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain, due to which his and his family's security guards were withdrawn. He claimed that former Malir SSP Rao Anwarul Haq was later posted to Badin with the task of killing Mirza in a fake encounter.

He pleaded the court initiate contempt proceedings against the home secretary, the police IG and his subordinates for deliberately defying the court's orders. He also requested the SHC to extend the protective bail granted earlier to Mirza to enable him to surrender before the trial court.

Meanwhile, additional advocate-general Mustafa Mahesar said that there was no intention to arrest the applicant. He also informed the court that Mirza would be provided with adequate security during his appearance in the trial court.

In view of the provincial law officer's assurance, Samon did not press the contempt plea, which was accordingly dismissed.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.

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