PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court (PHC) bench on Monday granted conditional bail to social activist Gulalai Ismail’s father Prof Mohammad Ismail who was arrested by the Federal Investi­gation Agency’s cyber crime wing last month. He faces charges of cyber terrorism and hate speech.

The bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rasheed Khan directed the petitioner, Prof Ismail, to submit two sureties worth Rs100,000 each. It directed the petitioner, who is also a member of Pakistan NGOs Forum, not to repeat the alleged offence after he was set free. It ordered that in case he was again found involved in such offences the prosecution should seek cancellation of his bail.

Prof Ismail was arrested on Oct 24 from outside the PHC where he had gone to attend proceedings of his petition filed for quashing of a case of terror financing filed against him, his spouse and Gulalai Ismail by the Counter Ter­r­orism Department, Pesha­war.

He was earlier denied bail by a subordinate court on Nov 4.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2019