LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted a 10-day protective bail to PTI’s former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik in a cybercrime case registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi heard a petition of Hamza Jamil Malik filed two days before the release of his wife on Aug 7, challenging the failure of the government to provide details of the cases registered against the woman politician.

Ms Malik appeared before the court along with her father in-law, Jamil Malik, and counsel Ishtiaq A Khan.

A federal law officer stated that only one case was registered against Ms Malik in Islamabad FIA, and no FIRs had been lodged in other provinces.

A lawyer of the Punjab government said a report had already been submitted at the previous hearing. He said Ms Malik already secured interim bail in all cases against her.

The judge asked the petitioner’s counsel as if the former MNA had secured pre-arrest bail in the FIA case.

The lawyer said they had no knowledge about the case.

Justice Najafi allowed a 10-day protective bail to Ms Malik with a direction to approach the court concerned for pre-arrest bail.

The judge also disposed of the petition.

After the hearing, Ms Malik spoke to the media, saying she had never been afraid, even for a moment during her days of incarceration.

She expressed her determination to work for a prosperous Pakistan without protests and strikes and where people get their rights.

Ms Malik said she and her colleagues were not afraid of jails, imprisonment, or moving from city to city.

She said her leader taught her to stay strong in tough times and emphasised that today’s women were stronger than men.

The former MNA declared herself a role model for women of the country, vowing to lead a campaign for the release of their leader.

She remained behind bars for around 16 months after last year’s May 9 attacks mainly on army facilities, including Lahore corps commander’s residence. She has been granted bail in all cases registered against her.

The police had registered cases against PTI leaders and workers for attacking and vandalising the corps commander house during the May 9 protests against the arrest of former premier Imran in a graft case by the NAB.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2024