SHC grants Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan protective bail

Anti-terrorism courts had issued non-bailable warrants for arrest of the MQM-Pakistan leaders

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) granted on Monday protective bail to the convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan, Dr Farooq Sattar, and its senior deputy convener, Amir Khan, in different cases related to sedition, an anti-state speech by their party founder Altaf Hussain and attacks on media houses.

Headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, the bench granted bail for 30-days to Dr Sattar in 31 cases registered under charges of sedition, anti-state offences and attacks on the media houses after the London-based MQM founder delivered a provocative speech that was aired outside the Karachi Press Club on August 22 last year.

Granting him bail subject to furnishing a surety in sum of Rs50,000 in each case, the court directed Dr Sattar to surrender before the concerned anti-terrorism court (ATC) that had issued non-bailable warrants for his arrest and directed the Rangers director general to arrest and present him before court by May 31.



The bench also granted 10-day protective bail to MQM-Pakistan senior deputy convener Khan subject to furnishing a surety of Rs50,000 in four cases related to sedition, anti-state offences and attacks on media houses on August 22. He was also directed to surrender before the concerned ATC.

Both the ATC-II judges had directed on May 16 the Rangers director-general to arrest and produce Dr Sattar and Khan in court in two cases pertaining to sedition, anti-state offences and attacks on the media houses following Altaf's incendiary speech.

The ATCs had further directed the paramilitary force's head to produce the absconding MQM-Pakistan leaders on May 31 without fail, as the police had failed to arrest and produce them despite issuance of several directions. The ATC judges had declared the matter 'most urgent' and asked the Rangers DG to make it his top priority.



Lawyers representing the MQM-Pakistan leaders argued that the cases against the applicants were based on malafide intentions, as the applicants had no possible knowledge that Altaf would say what he said on August 22. Therefore, the applicants or other MQM-Pakistan members could not be held responsible for the seditious words said by their party founder that day.

Dr Sattar told the court that he had wanted to immediately address the media and state he had distanced and severed all ties with Altaf, but was taken into preventive custody by the Rangers. He pleaded that in spite of all this, the FIR was registered against him and others under various sections.

The court was told that the ATCs had directed the Rangers head to arrest the applicants and produce them in court. Advocate Farogh Naseem argued that the applicants had received court's summon a day before. He requested the court to grant them protective bail.

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