SHC grants protective bail to accused on the run
PHOTO: FILE
The Sindh High Court (SHC) granted on Tuesday 10-day protective bail to Waqas Ahmed- who is also the complainant of the FIR registered against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar- in a case pertaining to obstructing action against encroachments, vandalism and attack on police.
Ahmed has been declared an accused on the run in the reference.
During the hearing of the bail plea, Ahmed's lawyer said that his client should be given a chance to face trial and moved the court to accept his bail plea.
The court granted Ahmed 10-day protective bail against a surety of Rs30,000, and directed him to appear before the trial court.
Corruption reference
Meanwhile, a two-member bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, directed the investigation officer (IO) to present witnesses at the next hearing of a reference pertaining to the embezzlement of Rs2.37 billion by selling fuel procured for defence institutions in open market.
The court expressed annoyance over delay in case proceeding, at which the IO said that one of the witnesses was not yet ready to testify.
The court directed him to present witnesses at the next hearing.
Reserved seats
At another hearing, the SHC issued notices to the Sindh government and the Election Commission of Pakistan over a plea seeking the immediate hearing of a plea challenging the non-allocation of reserved seat for independent candidates in local bodies elections.
The petitioner has said in the plea that five reserved seats should be allocated for independent candidates.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2020.