Post-arrest bail plea of PTM’s MNA Ali Wazir dismissed

Anti-Terrorism Court-X (ATC-X), Karachi, on Tuesday dismissed the application for post-arrest bail of Pashtoon Tahafuz Movement (PTM) MNA Ali Wazir in a case registered in 2018 for allegedly delivering speeches aimed at defaming the security establishment.

PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen along with two sitting Members of National Assembly – Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir – and three local leaders Dr Jameel, Aman Khattak and his son Umair Khattak were booked for delivering hate speeches at a public meeting at Sohrab Goth in December 2018.

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The ATC-X judge, conducting the trial in the Judicial Complex inside the Central Prison, had fixed February 14 for announcing the order on the bail application reserved earlier but had deferred it for Tuesday.

MNA Wazir was produced from the prison, while Amar Khan and Umair Khan, on interim bail, appeared before the court to seek confirmation of the same.

Wazir has been incarcerated in Karachi’s central prison since December 31, 2020, following registration of around four identical cases pertaining to alleged hate speech, sedition and inciting the public against the state.

The judge observed in his order that the testimonies of two witnesses of the prosecution had already been recorded in the present case, thus the applicant could not make out a case for grant of bail after arrest.

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The judge fixed Feb 23 for confirmation or otherwise of the interim pre-arrest bail of the suspects, Aman and Umair.