KARACHI: An antiterrorism court extended the interim pre-arrest bail of Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and two others till Aug 24 in a case pertaining to alleged criminal intimidation, attempted murder and terrorism.

Mr Sheikh along with his brother Aleem Adil Sheikh and Fayyaz Ali Laghari has been booked for allegedly attacking, obstructing and threatening officials during operation against illegal occupation of government land on the outskirts of the metropolis in May this year.

When the matter came up before the ATC-XV judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, the investigating officer failed to appear. However, Mr Sheikh and others were present.

The judge directed IO Inspector Raja Muhammad Afzal to appear on Aug 24 along with police file.

The judge also fixed the next date for confirmation or otherwise of the interim bail of the trio.

A case was registered under Sections 109 (abetment), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 324 (attempt to murder), 506-B (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gulshan-i-Maymar police station.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2022