KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday granted protective bail to former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza for 10 days in two more cases.

Dr Mirza, a disgruntled and disowned leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, along with his associates was initially booked in three cases on charges of attempted murder, attacking a police station and forcible closure of shops in a market of Badin district under the Anti-Terrorism Act. He had already obtained protective bail in these cases till May 9.

Later, two more case were registered against him on charges of attempted murder and obstructing public servants from performing their duties.

He moved the Sindh High Court seeking protective bail in the fresh cases.

A single bench, comprising Justice Farooq Ahmed Shah, gave Dr Mirza bail in sum of Rs100,000 in the two cases directing him to show up before the trial court concerned.

Advocate Ashraf Samoo, the counsel for Dr Mirza, submitted that on May 3, his client along with his supporters had gone to the Model Town police station in Badin to lodge an FIR against the unlawful arrest of his supporter. But the police officials declined to entertain his request and registered five false cases against him and his supporters, the lawyer said.

The counsel told the judges that Dr Mirza wanted to appear before the trial court concerned but he needed some time. He requested the court to grant him protective bail in the two criminal cases.

Meanwhile, another division bench headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah restrained the police from arresting Dr Mirza till May 9.

The direction came on a petition of the former home minister who requested the court to issue direction to the police to supply the copy of the FIRs registered against him. The court disposed of the petition after the provincial law officer submitted the copies of FIRs in court and provided the same to the counsel for the petitioner.

The bench also issued a notice to Dr Mirza on an application of Faryal Talpur, a PPP leader and sister of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

Ms Talpur moved the SHC to become an intervener in the constitutional petition of Dr Mirza, who had made statements against her.

She said that Dr Mirza made false and fabricated allegations against her and her family members.

Her counsel, Advocate Farooq Naek, told judges that Ms Talpur neither abused nor threatened the petitioner and his family members at any time.

But it was a matter of record that the petitioner hurled abuses and made defamatory, disparaging and malicious statements and also made false and fabricated allegations against her.

He prayed to the court to restrain Dr Mirza from making such statements against his client and her family.

The bench issued a notice to Dr Mirza and put off the hearing to May 11.

BADIN: The police siege to Mirza Farms was ended on on Friday morning to allow Dr Mirza safe passage before he, along with his spouse MNA Dr Fehmia Mirza, emerged from inside for his departure to Karachi.

The couple left Badin in a procession of dozens of their supporters without any intervention by police.

Dr Mirza briefly spoke to a large number of journalists gathered at the farms. Responding to a questioner, he said he was ready to depose in court regarding any murder case he had been blaming on PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

Fahmida Mirza told journalists expressed his wish to find political solution to all issues involving the PPP high command and her family.

She also denied having received any show-cause notice from the party chief as was claimed by some central leaders a couple of days back. “When I will get such a notice, I will definitely respond to it,” she said.

HYDERABAD: PPP women wing took out a rally from district council to the local press club on Friday to condemn Dr Mirza’s continuous outbursts against Mr Zardari and some other party leaders.

Raising slogans against Dr Mirza and his associates, the protesters warned him against using foul language against PPP leaders.

SUKKUR: Activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto (PPP-SB) held a demonstration in Jacobabad on Friday against Mr Zardari and raised slogans against him.

The rally was led by Sindh PPP women wing president MNA Shagufta Jumani, Sanam Talpur, Zahid Bhurgari, Amanullah Siyal, Hina Dastagir, Shabana Khan and others. An effigy of Dr Mirza was also torched by activists the party’s student wing.

Speaking to the participants, PPP-SB activists Haji Abbas Rind, Noor Mohammed Monhjo and others referred to the claim made recently by Dr Mirza, and demanded arrest of Mr Zardari and former Malir SSP Rao Anwar in the murder case of their party colleague, Ali Mohammed Sonaro.

The rally participants marched through various streets and held a sit-in for a couple of hours.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2015

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