Karachi: Police detained 24 guards of former Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza, outside the Sindh High Court today.
Images on television showed masked personnel of the Special Security Unit, assaulting people and breaking windows of cars which were part of Mirza’s convoy. Zulfiqar Mirza and his wife, former National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza had to confine themselves in the registrar office of the high court.
Police and security forces surrounded the court premises. Heavy contingent of police and LEAs were also present outside ATC and Sindh Assembly. DIG South Dr Jamil Ahmed said, only six security guards of Mirza have been detained outside the court.
Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi rejected Zulfiqar Mirza's application, seeking exemption from hearing. The ATC directed the former PPP leader to appear before it today. Media reports said, the provincial government has decided to detain the former minister today, before he appears in court and gets extension in the bail.
Meanwhile Police personnel today brutally tortured journalists in front of High Court, where they were present in large number to cover the appearance of Zulfikar Mirza in the court. During the brutal onslaught by the police commandos, cameras were also taken away from the journalists.
President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUF), Rana Azeem said that former President Asif Ali Zardari’s sister Faryal Talpur and Information Minister Sindh Sharjeel Memon, unleashed the police commandos on the media personnel, saying that they are ‘agents of terrorism’. Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has taken notice of the incident and said that action would be taken against those responsible.