KARACHI - Police have picked up around 24 guards of former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza outside the Sindh High Court where he came to extend his bail.
Mirza rushed to Sindh High Court for extension of bail where heavy police contingent was already present to ‘welcome’ Mirza. Plain-clothed and masked personnel of the Special Security Unit (SSU) reacted promptly and assaulted Mirza’s guards and supporters. Police personnel broke the windows of the vehicles included in Mirza’s convoy. Mirza and his wife Fehmida Mirza managed to get shelter at the registrar office of the high court whereas police took over two dozen guards of Mirza into custody. Witnesses said heavy contingent of police personnel surrounded the court premises before the arrival of Mirza where the SSU personnel were on standby. Police sources said that police commandos had also been deployed outside the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and Sindh Assembly.
DIG South, Dr Jamil Ahmed confirmed the arrest of some six security guards of Mirza. He assured of taking action against the responsible authorities who created panic and also misbehaved with the media men. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal also took notice of the incident, saying action would be taken against those responsible. It is worth mentioning here that an ATC had rejected Zulfiqar Mirza’s bail application, seeking exemption from hearing. The court had directed the former PPP leader to appear before the court for extension therefore Mirza rushed to court to get extension.
Sources privy to the matter revealed that the ruling government of PPP has decided to restrict his appearance before the court and sought his arrest warrants when court rejected Mirza’s bail. Despite all efforts, Sindh High Court has accepted his plea, granting extension in his protective bail for a week. The court ordered the authorities not to arrest Mirza in any case during the period of his protective bail and also ordered of providing foolproof security to the former home minister.
During the clash between the police and Mirza supporters, the masked personnel of the SSU also beat the media men and broke the cameras of various news channels outside the SHC. Following the misbehave with the media, Karachi Union of Journalists president Afsar Imran, general secretary Shoaib and other office bearers have strongly condemned the police torture on the reporters. They said in presence of two DIGs, the journalists covering the arrival of Zulfiqar Mirza in the court were tortured which showed that the incident was well-planned. He demanded that the police personnel responsible for torturing journalists should be immediately arrested. On the other side, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has taken notice in this regard and directed the concerned police officers to submit the report on immediate basis.
ATC EXTENDS MIRZA’S BAIL TILL JUNE 2
Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday extended the bail of former home minister of Sindh, Zulfiqar Mirza and his 107 accomplices till June 2. Mirza’s counsel submitted a petition in the court pleading to extend the bail of his client which was later accepted by the ATC.  Mirza and his 107 aides were accused of threatening the police officers, plundering and resorting to aerial firing in Badin.
‘Gullu Butts of PPP attacked us’
Former national assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza on Saturday lashed out at Sindh government for attack of unidentified masked men on her guards and vehicles. Speaking to a private TV channel, Mirza said the attack was a clear violation of the court’s orders. “Gullu Butts of Sindh have swung into action and arrested our guards and smashed our vehicles,” she said. “They are not causing any harm to Mirza family, they are hurting Pakistan and its democracy. This was happened on the instructions of Sindh government,” she added. Her remarks came after unidentified masked men detained the guards of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and lifted his vehicles.