Pre-arrest bail of PTI activists cancelled

Charged with attempt on ANP leader Mian Iftikhar’s life

PABBI: Civil judge Jehanzeb Shinwari cancelled the pre-arrest bail of five Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf activists accused of a murder attempt on Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain.

The PTI workers – two district councillor-elects, one tehsil councillor-elect and two others – appeared before judicial magistrate Sheeraz Tariq to plead for bail on Tuesday. Tariq had transferred the case to Shinwari who passed the ruling after hearing arguments. All five activists were handed over to Pabbi police.

A PTI worker Habibullah had lost his life when ANP and PTI activists got involved in a skirmish outside the ANP office during the wee hours of May 31. Workers of the PTI were riled up after election victories and insisted Mian Iftikhar be arrested over the death of their colleague. Mian Iftikhar, who was present inside when the incident occurred, was booked and later exonerated from the charges after the deceased’s father Sher Alam told the media, “Neither Mian Iftikhar nor his guards murdered my son. I was pressurised into registering an FIR against them.”

Subsequently, ANP workers registered an FIR against PTI workers Ashfaq Ahmad, Ashfaq Khan, Sajid Lala, Feroz Khan and Kausar for attempting to murder Mian Iftikhar. After the PTI worker was killed outside the ANP office, a mob of the former’s workers surrounded Mian Iftikhar who needed the help of army personnel to safely exit the area,

All five PTI workers obtained bail before arrest from a court of law which was later repealed by Shinwari. Police shifted the detainees to an undisclosed location and started investigation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2015.