An anti-terrorism court on Friday granted bail to incarcerated South Waziristan MNA Ali Wazir in a third case pertaining to defaming and inciting the public against state institutions.

PTM-linked Wazir, who was elected from the NA-50 constituency in South Waziristan’s tribal district as an independent candidate, has been languishing in Karachi's central prison since Dec 31, 2020 after he was arrested for alleged hate speech against state institutions in the metropolis.

Four identical cases pertaining to hate speech, sedition and inciting the public against the state have been lodged against him and others. A fifth identical case was lodged at the Miramshah police station.

Wazir and two others — Alam Zaib and Qazi Tahir — have been charged with allegedly committing sedition by delivering speeches at a public procession provoking public sentiment against the security establishment in Karachi's Sohrab Goth area in January 2019.

On Friday, the ATC-XV judge, who conducted a trial in the judicial complex inside central prison, reserved his verdict after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge granted bail to Wazir subject to furnishing a surety of Rs500,000. Prison authorities were told to release him forthwith if his custody was not required in any other case.

The judge fixed the case on July 25 for framing of an amended charge against the accused and report for the attachment of the property of those who are allegedly still absconding in the present case.

However, MNA Wazir would still not be set free since he is also facing trial in a fourth identical case lodged against him and other PTM leaders at the Boat Basin police station.

Last month, Wazir protested outside Karachi's JPMC hospital, claiming he was attacked twice there. At the time, a production order was issued for him to attend the budget session. During his protest, he demanded either be taken to Islamabad or to sent back to jail because he felt unsafe at the hospital. The police denied the allegations.

The cases

According to the prosecution, PTM leaders and the trio had held a procession in a ground behind the Al-Asif Square on Jan 20, 2019, where they delivered speeches, allegedly inciting the public against state institutions.

Zaib, who was arrested from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was released on bail granted by the Supreme Court following the dismissal of his pleas by the trial court and the Sindh High Court in the present case.

Tahir, who was arrested from Karachi, was later granted post-arrest bail by the trial court in the case.

A case was lodged under sections 147 (rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc), 500 (defamation) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the PS Sohrab Goth on behalf of the state.