SHC extends Zulfiqar Mirza's protective bail for week

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has accepted a plea of former Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, granting extension in his protective bail for a week.

The court ordered the authorities not to arrest Dr Mirza in any case during the period of his protective bail.

Directing the Sindh government to provide the fool proof security to the former home minister, the court has summoned Sindh Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Inspector General Police on Monday.

Earlier, Police detained 24 guards of former Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza outside the Sindh High Court on Saturday.

Images on television showed masked personnel of the Special Security Unit assaulting people and breaking windows of cars which were part of Mirza’s covoy.

Zulfiqar Mirza and his wife former National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza have confined themselves in the registrar office of the high court.

Police and security forces have surrounded the court premises. Heavy contingent of police and LEAs is 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.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has taken notice of the incident and said that action would be taken against those responsible.

Earlier, an anti-terrorism court in Karachi rejected Zulfiqar Mirza's application, seeking exemption from hearing.

The ATC has directed the former PPP leader to appear before it today (Saturday).

Meanwhile, sources said, the provincial government has decided to detain the former minister today before he appears in court and gets extension in the bail.