TIMERGARA: The court of executive magistrate, Lower Dir, and deputy commissioner Sarmad Saleem Akram on Thursday granted bail to Pakistan Peoples Party district secretary information Alam Zeb advocate after which he was released from the lock-up.

Mr Zeb had led an agitation against the doctors of Timergara DHQ hospital after the death of an eight-year-child due to their alleged negligence.

The court of additional district and sessions judge had rejected plea for confirmation of his bail before arrest on Wednesday and the activist had been sent to the lock-up for judicial custody. The accused was later produced in the court of executive magistrate who accepted his bail application.

When contacted, counsel for the accused, advocate Jehan Bahadar, told this correspondent that after the promulgation of Sharia law 2009 the executive magistrate was entitled to grant bail under sections having less than three years imprisonment. He said that the PPP activist was charged under sections 506 and 186 CrPC under which the executive magistrate had the authority to grant bail.

The activist had led an agitation against the doctors of Timergara DHQ hospital after the death of an eight-year-child. The doctors and paramedics had also observed a three-day strike against the PPP activist.

Earlier in the day, the PPP workers held a protest rally against the arrest of its secretary information at Gorgori Chowk where the speakers said that Mr Zeb was arrested for raising voice for a poor family.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2018