Security concerns: Mirza’s saga held high court hostage, remarks SHC bench

Yet another FIR registered against the former home minister.

KARACHI: A Sindh High Court (SHC) division bench observed on Wednesday that the high court was taken ‘hostage’ a day earlier when a large number of policemen were deployed within the court premises to arrest former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza on Tuesday.

“Mr Advocate General, we [were] kept hostage till 8pm yesterday,” said members of the division bench headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah as they addressed the top provincial law officer, Abdul Fateh Malik. The bench had taken up the matter on the withdrawal of security from Mirza and the contempt plea of MNA Faryal Talpur.

The judges were making a reference to the police officers’ refusal to comply with the orders issued on Tuesday to withdraw the police contingent that was placed around the anti-terrorism court and within SHC premises to arrest Mirza.

Taking serious notice of such conduct, the bench issued show-cause notices to the police IG and Karachi AIG to explain why they failed to implement the court’s directives. AG Malik tried, however, to appease them. “Sir, we also remained in the court till 2am,” he said. AG Malik’s role is that of a bridge between the judiciary and the provincial government.

Meanwhile, Mirza’s lawyer, Ashraf Samon, complained that unknown persons were harassing him and making threatening calls. He pleaded the court take notice of it.

Contempt notice to Mirza

The bench members also issued a contempt notice to Mirza on an application filed by MNA Faryal Talpur, the sister of Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.

Farooq H Naek informed the judges that respondent Mirza was giving statements against his client, Talpur, and levelling baseless allegations in violation of the court’s earlier directives. The court had previously restrained Mirza from making such public statements.

Naek pleaded to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondent. The bench issued a contempt notice to Mirza and adjourned the hearing till May 29.

Advocate Samon requested for time to go through the contempt plea and file a proper reply on behalf of Mirza.

Another day, another FIR

A new FIR was lodged against Mirza in Badin on Tuesday after his supporters allegedly clashed with the local police during a rally. This is the 11th case registered against Mirza and his supporters since May 3. Out of the 66 people booked in the FIR, 50 people were unknown. The rally was held to protest the police siege outside the anti-terrorism court in Karachi where Mirza appeared for his interim bail.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old son of Mehboob Abro, a close aide of Mirza, was arrested from Hyderabad. The police said they raided Abro’s residence to arrest him but picked up his son, Sarmad Abro.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2015.