The Sindh High Court (SHC) has granted bail to an Ahmadi lawyer who was arrested for having “Syed” in his name, while ordering an inquiry into the performance of the police officer who registered two FIRs against the lawyer.
On April 27, Karachi’s City Court Police Station registered a second First Information Report (FIR) against the 76-year-old lawyer under the Anti-Ahmadiyya Sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The complaint was filed by a fellow lawyer.
During today’s hearing the court granted bail to the Ahmadi man while also ordering the Sindh Inspector General to review the service record of the City Court Police Station SHO “to determine whether he is performing his duty of maintaining religious peace and harmony in his area in a neutral, professional, sensitive and capable manner”.
The judge also directed the police authorities to not register another FIR on the same charges against the Ahmadi man.
Today’s hearing was held amid strict security measures as the lawyer representing the Ahmadi man was assaulted by his fellow lawyers inside a court during the last hearing.
Earlier, an Ahmadi lawyer who defends members of the community accused of blasphemy, was attacked with a cleaver by a man associated with Madrasa Khatm-e-Nabuwat, in his chamber in district Chiniot.
The attacker had previously attacked another Ahmadi man and is known to be violent towards the community.
According to a FIR, the attacker identified as Zubair Anwar attacked lawyer Amir Munir in his chamber with a cleaver. Before attacking, Zubair had referred to the cases filed against the Ahmadi community members the lawyer was defending.
