MQM workers granted bail by SHC

They were arrested in a case relating to Altaf Hussain's speech on August 22, 2016

KARACHI: Nineteen workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were granted bail on Friday by the Sindh High Court (SHC) in a case relating to attacks on media houses after party founder Altaf Hussain’s provocative August 2016 speech.

Headed by SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, the bench granted bail to each applicant against a surety of Rs100,000.

The applicants, including Muhammad Sharif, Adeel Ahmed, Syed Arshad Ali and Muhammad Asif Zubair, had approached the high court after the concerned anti-terrorism court dismissed their bail applications.

The prosecution had booked and arrested them in a case relating to the speech of the MQM founder delivered via telephone outside the Karachi Press Club on August 22, 2016.



It alleged that Altaf had, via his speeches, criticised national security agencies following which some workers raised anti-Pakistan slogans outside the Karachi Press Club, where the party had staged a hunger strike for recovery of its 'missing' activists on August 22, 2016.

After the speech, suspects had also allegedly attacked the offices of private news channels and rioted near Fawara Chowk, causing death of at least one person.