KARACHI: Former federal minister Babar Ghauri returned to the country on Tuesday.

Accompanied by his wife, the former senator arrived at Karachi airport via a foreign airline from Dubai just a couple of days after securing protective bail in two cases from the Sindh High Court (SHC).

The SHC last week granted protective bail to MQM leader in two terrorism and corruption cases. The bail was granted in two cases till February 6 against surety bonds worth Rs200,000.

Mr Ghauri was arrested at the Karachi airport on June 5 last year after he returned to the country ending his seven-year self-imposed exile. He was arrested in a case pertaining to the 2016 hate speech by the MQM founder. He was later released on a bail and the same day he left Karachi for the United Arab Emirates.

A few days ago, MQM Pakistan convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui when asked to comment on Mr Ghauri’s return, said he was returning to Pakistan to attend his mother who’s not well for past several weeks. He had further said that his party’s doors were open for the former leader.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023