KARACHI, Sept 1: A division bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Zawar Hussain Jaffery, on Wednesday disposed of a petition against illegal confinement of Mansoor Ali Babar , an activist of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, as infructuous.

On Wednesday, the court was told by the superintendent of Malir jail that the detainee was released on Aug 30 as per a letter of the home department issued withdrawing the detention order of Mansoor Ali Babar under Section 11-EEE of Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

Ms Rehana Begum, mother of Mansoor Ali Babar, had alleged that the law-enforcement agencies took away Mansoor on Aug 13 without giving any reason. He was acquitted after 10 years from sectarian killing cases.

Meanwhile, the same bench also disposed of a petition as infructuous filed against the detention of Mohammad Aslam, an activist of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. The Jail Superintendent told the court that the detainee has been released as per a letter of the home department on Aug 30.

Ms Shaheen Anjum had alleged that her spouse was arrested in March on suspicion of his association with the banned SSP though he was an activist of the MQM. The court after statement by the jail official disposed of the same.

SPEEDY TRIAL: A division bench of High Court of Sindh, comprising Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, on Wednesday put off hearing of a constitutional petition challenging the vires of Speedy Trial Court Act 1992.

The petition was filed by four accused who were sentenced to death by a Speedy Trial Court in 1993 on charge of killing five persons in a dacoity. Badruddin, Shumman, Ali Bux and Munir were tried and sentenced for killing Iqbal Ahmed, Abdul Ghaffar, Abdul Fateh, Sahib Khan and Mohammad Waris on Nov 3, 1990, in the jurisdiction of Kandiaro police station.

The accused preferred appeals before superior courts which upheld their conviction and sentence. Their mercy appeal was also dismissed by the President of Pakistan and black warrants were issued after which they filed the instant petition challenging the said Act.

When the petition came up for hearing on Wednesday, Ahmed Pirzada, Additional Advocate General Sindh, appearing for the state, opposed the petition on the ground that compromise between the parties is not acceptable under the law as accused/appellants/petitioners have been booked under section 396 CrPC. -PPI/APP