
PTI worker secures bail in propaganda case
The court of Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah has approved the post-arrest bail petition filed on behalf of PTI worker Haider Saeed, who was arrested in a case of propaganda against institutions.
During the hearing, the court inquired about the allegations, to which the investigating officer replied that Haider Saeed had spread misinformation and reposted a post from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). He added that the account from which the BLA post was reposted was a verified account
Saeed's counsel Tabish Farooq argued that the posts did not incite public unrest and that the case required further investigation. He added that Saeed was kidnapped, and citing various higher court decisions, he further argued that the accused was not the head of any organisation and had not committed treason. "He was taken away by unknown individuals and could not be traced all day," he said.
During the hearing, Haider Saeed's mother also appeared in the courtroom and said, "When my son was taken away, I was told that he had committed murder. My son is being portrayed as a terrorist. We are actually patriotic people."
After the presentation of arguments, the court reserved its verdict on Haider Saeed's post-arrest bail petition. Later on, in its order, the court approved the petition and ordered the release of Haider Saeed on bail against surety bonds worth Rs200,000.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PPP likely to join Centre as power-sharing talks advance
Listen to article After extending crucial support to the federal budget, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is expected to formally join the federal government in July, with the distribution of ministries likely to be finalised next month, sources told Express News. The move comes after weeks of tension between the PPP and the ruling Paksitan Muslim League (PML-N) over budget allocations and controversial tax measures, which had prompted strong criticism from the PPP. The party had accused the government of sidelining Sindh and threatened to withhold support for the budget unless its demands were addressed. However, the deadlock eased when the government agreed to a number of key concessions, including a 20% increase in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) budget and the rollback of proposed powers for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to arrest taxpayers without warrants. Read More: Bilawal explains why PPP supports federal budget Addressing the National Assembly on Thursday, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had said his party would support the federal budget after the government accepted its demands to raise the BISP allocation to Rs716 billion, exempt income tax for salaried individuals earning up to Rs100,000, and reduce sales tax on solar panels. Sources familiar with the negotiations say the PPP's budget support has paved the way for a broader power-sharing arrangement with the PML-N, brokered in part by the establishment. They added that the establishment had assured PPP leadership there would be no change in government and that political continuity was essential for national stability. 'The message was clear: the system must continue — and it will,' a source close to the talks said. Efforts are also underway to bring other political forces on board as part of a larger consensus-building initiative. In the next phase, the PPP is expected to become part of the Punjab government, sources said. Backchannel talks between the two parties are already in progress, though a final agreement has yet to be reached.


Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Two policemen booked for illegal detention
Two police officers have been booked in Jaranwala Saddar police station on charges of illegal detention and abuse of power following a complaint filed by a resident of Makuana. In her complaint, Salma Bibi stated that she was returning home with her son, Mujahid Iqbal, on a motorcycle after attending a court hearing at Magistrate Court, Saddar Jaranwala police station. When they reached Chak 119-GB, just past Main Bazaar Mosque, two cops on a motorcycle pulled up beside them and claimed that her dupatta (scarf) had gotten caught in the motorcycle's wheel. When her son stopped the motorcycle, the unidentified officers pulled out a pistol, grabbed him by the collar, assaulted him and pushed him to the ground. They snatched his mobile phone and Rs51,000 in cash before forcibly taking both of them to Saddar Jaranwala police station. The police officials locked her son in custody, impounded the motorcycle, and told her that they were taking him to the CIA Makuana for investigation. When she contacted the SHO of Saddar Jaranwala City police station, he assured her that her son would be released after questioning. However, later, the police falsely implicated her son in a robbery case and made him participate in an identification parade.


Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Punjab PTI MPAs face speaker's reference
Listen to article Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan has announced that a reference will be sent to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against 26 suspended PTI MPAs over their "disruptive, abusive and violative" conduct during a recent assembly session. The move follows the suspension issued on June 27 under Rule 210(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the provincial legislature of the Punjab, 1997, after the members disrupted Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's address with slogans and ruckus in the House. Further escalating tensions, the speaker also ordered recovery of Rs2,035,000 in damages from 10 PTI MPAs - Rs203,550 each – for climbing desks and damaging eight microphones during their June 16 protest during the provincial budget presentation. In another incident, PTI MPA Hassan Malik (PP-81) was barred from attending the assembly until the current session is prorogued, following his act of hurling a copy of the budget speech at Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja Ur Rehman. On June 24, the speaker gave a ruling stressing the importance of maintaining parliamentary decorum: "I emphasise all members, regardless of their political affiliation, in order to preserve decorum, uphold the dignity of this august Assembly, and ensure that parliamentary proceedings can continue without disruption." "I shall take all the steps within the legal framework to maintain order and uphold dignity of this august House and its members," he further warned. The response came after Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar raised a point of order, defending protest as a constitutional right. To determine the limits of that right, the speaker cited Rule 223 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure, enacted under Article 67, read with Article 127 of the Constitution, which outlines members' conduct in the House. However, Bhachar strongly condemned the speaker's orders and vowed the opposition would continue its protest undeterred by threats of de-seating or financial penalties. "It was decided in our parliamentary meeting that opposition members will enter and leave the House silently," he said, noting that when he attempted to speak on a point of order, the speaker did not grant him the floor. PTI rejects 'fascist tactics' Meanwhile, senior PTI leaders blasted the ruling coalition and the judiciary, denouncing the "orchestrated campaign" to suppress the party and dismantle democracy. They firmly rejected the notion of a "Minus Imran" formula. In a joint press conference with suspended Punjab Assembly members, PTI legal counsel Salman Akram Raja, Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, and senior lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa condemned the systematic persecution of their party. "There is no Minus-Imran plan. The party hasn't even considered such a thing," Salman Akram Raja said. "For 78 years, we've been fed the illusion of democracy, when in reality, we've only seen authoritarian rule," he added, accusing the state of continuously installing "political proxies". Raja noted that PTI had engaged even with those "propped up on crutches", only to meet inertia. "Every time we met them, they said: 'We'll ask and let you know.' Even when we requested a meeting with our party founder, they again said they had to seek permission. They admitted they had no authority. So, what are we to negotiate with such powerlessness?" Regarding the Swat tragedy, where 16 tourists lost their lives in a flash flood, Raja acknowledged the limits of governance in natural calamities, adding, "If a family on a picnic is struck by an act of God, what can any government do? The K-P government isn't Superman." Opposition Leader Bhachar reiterated claims of institutional overreach. "We're resisting fascism in the Punjab Assembly," he said. "Last night, they launched a surprise assault and suspended 26 of our members." Bhachar maintained that PTI lawmakers had exercised their constitutional right to protest. "Not only were we suspended, but they also fined us. And now they're preparing to file references in the Election Commission," he said, pointing out double standards in the chamber. "The deputy speaker was raising slogans from the chair... has any action been taken against him?" He added that he had tried three times to take the floor but was not allowed to speak. "It is a principle that the opposition leader must be given the floor when he rises," Bhachar said, noting that legal consultation on the fines is underway. Sardar Latif Khosa, meanwhile, took aim at the judiciary. "Justice Qazi Faez Isa's decisions are equivalent to murdering democracy," he said. "The nation is holding him accountable — and will continue to do so." He also questioned the legitimacy of the chief election commissioner's continued service. "He's retired, yet still sitting due to the 26th constitutional amendment," Khosa said, adding that the notion of military courts for civilians was incompatible with democracy. Calling the SC's reserved seats case decision "the darkest in its history", Khosa said, "We had a two-thirds majority, yet we are to receive zero Senate seats? There cannot be a more disgraceful or repugnant decision than this." "These decisions will cost the nation for centuries," he warned, pledging never to surrender. "We are fighting for the rights of the people of Pakistan." Salman Akram Raja said PTI's commitment remained undeterred. "Yesterday's decision has not weakened our commitment. We will restore the rights of the people," he declared. "This case isn't about PTI or the Sunni Ittehad Council alone — it belongs to every citizen." "We reject this verdict, and will continue to do so," he asserted. He accused the state of sidelining PTI from the February 8 general elections. "First, our electoral symbol was snatched. Then, our reserved seats were looted in the dark of night." "In Pakistan's entire legal history, there are only two rulings that went against tyranny. This was not one of them," he added. "Our opposition seats were distributed like spoils of war to other parties. The Constitution demands that reserved seats be proportionally allocated to parties winning general seats." "In this country, democracy has been treated like forbidden fruit," Raja said. "There's no doubt that PTI is the largest political force. Yesterday was just another failed attempt to silence that voice."