Leader of the Opposition in Balochistan Assembly Yar Muhammad Rind was arrested on Thursday from inside the Supreme Court building where he had come to file a plea against a Quetta Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judgement that awarded him life imprisonment for allegedly abducting a man in 2009.
The Quetta ATC had awarded life imprisonment to Rind, his son Sardar Khan Rind and four others for allegedly abducting a man, Imamuddin, in Sanni area of Balochistan in 2009. Later during the hearing, despite repeated notices to the accused, they did not turn up and finally the ATC awarded them life imprisonment in absentia.
In the Supreme Court, Rind’s counsel Akram Shaikh contended that his client was innocent and had been implicated in a false case. He said Rind was sentenced in absentia, adding that he had contended during the course of the hearing that he had life threats and therefore he could not turn up in the ATC.
Sheikh said Rind had life threats from various quarters and even the Balochistan chief minister wanted to target him. He said he had been given life imprisonment over non-appearance in the court.
He said Rind could not appear in courts in Balochistan as Chief Minister Aslam Raisani was after his life due to an old enmity between their tribes. He said so far 200 people had been killed due to the enmity between Raisanis and Rinds.
On Thursday, Rind came to the Supreme Court to file a plea against the ATC verdict. However, the SC observed that a convicted man could be awarded bail before he was arrested. “You should first surrender and then apply for bail,” the chief justice said in his remarks. Upon this, Rind requested the court to keep him in Sindh House while in custody but the chief justice observed that law was equal for all and ordered the Secretariat Police to arrest him.
The SC ordered the Secretariat Police to keep the accused in police station and produce him before the court on Monday when his bail plea would be taken.
In a brief talk with reporters, Rind said, “I surrendered before the court and police… as I have complete faith in the Supreme Court and I have been assured that I will be given justice,” he said.
“Rind in is our custody at the Secretariat Police Station… per the Supreme Court’s directions. We will produce him before the court on the next date of hearing that is on Monday,” Superintended of Police City Circle Captain Muhammad Ilyas said.