KARACHI: Imtiaz allowed protective bail in new case
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 10: The Sindh High Court allowed interim protective bail to former revenue minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh in a sixth case on Thursday afternoon.
The ex-minister was on interim bail, which was due for confirmation on Thursday, when a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Athar Saeed, was informed by his counsel, Raja Qureshi, that a new case against the applicant was registered by the Shikarpur police on Nov 8. He was accused of firing rocket launchers on a police party that raided his farmhouse.
The registration of the new case, the lawyer said, kept the applicant from appearing in person for confirmation of bail. He said a heavy contingent of police was posted in the high court and the applicant feared that he might be arrested in the new case. Advocate Qureshi said the applicant be granted protective bail in the new case. The plea was strongly opposed by state counsel Raza Hashmi.
The CJ called the SHC registrar to find out whether the police was posted in large numbers and, if so, why? The registrar informed the CJ after talking to the inspector-general of police that additional police posted in the high court had already been withdrawn.
The bench allowed the applicant interim bail till Nov 15 subject to his furnishing security amounting to Rs 200,000. The plea was heard by the bench in the CJ’s chamber in the afternoon. The interim bail orders would come up for confirmation on Nov 15.
illegal construction: The Sindh High Court on Thursday appointed Faisal Siddiqui and Ms Rizwana Ismail as amicus curie to assist court for passing an appropriate order as regard illegal constructions in Dehli Colony, Karachi.
SHC’s division bench, comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Zawar Hussain Jaffery, was hearing the application by Ms Fatima Begum against the director-general military land and cantonment and others regarding illegal construction in the colony.
The court was told that a large number of unauthorized constructions have been raised in the entire area of Dehli Colony, but concerned authorities were reluctant to take action.
The court, in order to determine the correct factual position as regard illegal construction that came into notice of the court, appointed amicus curie to assist the court for passing an appropriate order and adjourned the hearing till first week of Dec.—PPI
