Karachi: Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmed was released from prison on Tuesday after securing bail in a third arson case filed against him.
A sessions court approved Mr. Ahmed’s post-arrest bail in a case related to inciting violence and property damage. He had been arrested on February 11 for allegedly encouraging people to set heavy vehicles on fire, violating the daytime movement ban imposed on such vehicles in Karachi.
Earlier, Mr. Ahmed had obtained bail from an anti-terrorism court in two separate cases registered at the Landhi and Awami Colony police stations. However, authorities later implicated him in a third case involving the burning of a tanker, registered at the Sarjani Town police station.
According to the case details, a tanker owner reported the incident on February 11, alleging that his driver had informed him of an attack near Abdullah Mor. The driver claimed that three unidentified individuals stopped the vehicle, pelted it with stones, forcibly removed him from the tanker, doused it with petrol, and set it on fire.
On Tuesday, Additional District and Sessions Judge (West) Muhammad Aslam Shaikh granted him bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000 and ordered his release, provided he was not wanted in any other case. Prison officials confirmed that Mr. Ahmed had been released from Karachi Central Prison where a large number of MQM-H supporters gathered outside the prison to welcome their leader.
