Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader and MNA Ali Wazir has been granted post-arrest bail by Karachi’s Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in the fourth sedition case registered against him.
Wazir has been behind bars since December 31, 2020, for allegedly delivering provocative speeches inciting hate against the state institutions.
The ATC judge announced the verdict on Wazir’s bail plea after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution. He directed the applicant to submit a surety of Rs100,000 to secure his release.
Cases have been registered against Wazir under sections 147 (rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of common object), 500 (punishment for defamation), 505 (statement conducing to public mischief), and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with the Section 7 (Punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
In November 2021, the Supreme Court granted bail to Wazir in one case lodged against him, along with Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen and other leaders, for delivering incendiary speeches at a rally within the jurisdiction of Sohrab Goth police station.
Later, the Sindh High Court in May granted him bail in a second identical case lodged at Sohrab Goth police station.
However, Karachi police had then booked him in a third case lodged at the Shah Latif Town police station against the PTM leaders over alleged hate speech against state institutions.
