License to protect: JSQM chairman gets bail in arms case, party workers baton charged in Hyderabad

Bashir Qureshi argues he needs weapons as there is a conspiracy to kill him.

KARACHI/HYDERABAD:

A judge granted nationalist figure Bashir Qureshi bail on Saturday in an illegal weapons possession case. The public prosecutor argued that the matter could wait till September 20 when his licences would be verified.

Qureshi, who posted bail for Rs100,000, was arrested two days ago by the Rangers from Gulshan-e-Hadeed. He and one of his men were taken into custody on the grounds that they were brandishing arms while riding a double cabin pickup.

The Rangers later claimed to have found sub-machine guns and other heavy arms and ammunition from a house in Gulshan-e-Hadeed based on information from them.

The bail application filed before a Malir judge was sent to Additional District and Sessions Judge, East Munawwar Sultana, who heard arguments by the district public prosecutor and a panel of lawyers representing Qureshi.

Qureshi’s lawyers argued that there were no independent witnesses, other than the Rangers. It was also argued that there are licences for the arms. The district public prosecutor opposed the request for bail, saying that the court will already be hearing the issue of the verification of the licences on September 20. He asked that the matter be deferred till that date.

After hearing both sides, the judge granted Qureshi and Badruddin bail for Rs100,000.

“If I am assassinated, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik will be responsible for it,” said Qureshi after his release from Landhi Jail. He demanded the government return all his weapons. “I have produced the licences. A conspiracy is being hatched to kill me, therefore I need protection.”

The reaction to the arrest has surfaced in towns across Sindh. The National Highway was blocked near the Hyderabad bypass. In Sukkur, the party called for strike. A partial strike was observed in Hyderabad, Tando Jam, Tando Allah Yar, Mirpurkhas, Tando Muhammad Khan, Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Naushreferoz, Dadu and other cities. Markets and trading centres remained closed. Traffic stopped as protesters stormed the highways and demanded his release within 24 hours.

Protesting party workers were baton charged by the Rangers in Hyderabad. A journalist covering the event was injured along with four activists.

SAMAA TV cameraman Shaman Solangi was hit by a truncheon in the head. “I was standing with my back towards the personnel who charged at me,” he told The Express Tribune. “He tried to snatch my camera but I fainted and fell to the ground”

Muhammad Ali Rind of KTN News channel was also restrained from covering the event. “They hit my back and knees with sticks,” he said, adding that they were angry he was covering them and protesters scuffling. KTN’s news reporter Saleem Mallah said he put up a resistance.

Three JSQM workers were picked up from the spot in Bhittai Town near the Hyderabad Bypass, claimed Akash Mallah, who led the protesters. Mallah, a well known nationalist activist, resurfaced recently after going missing for over a year.

“They arrested Irfan Joyo, Yaseen Abbasi and Muhammad Ali Jatoi,” he told The Express Tribune. A police officer corroborated this, but without giving his name. “The Rangers haven’t handed them over to the police,” he confirmed.

According to the officer, they had persuaded the group to disperse before the Rangers began the baton charge. “They wanted to block the road for two hours but we spoke to them and the crowd started to thin out within 15 to 20 minutes of the protest.”

Mallah said they would protest again if the Rangers didn’t release the men. “We can no longer tolerate that workers like me, who love Sindh, their motherland, go missing.”



Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2011.