SHC CJ orders release of 829 UTPs across province

On the directives of Chief Justice (CJ) Sindh High Court (SHC) Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, 829 Under Trial Prisoners (UTPs) in the cases of lesser punishment have been released from the jails of the province.
According to an announcement of the SHC, district courts have released these UTPs in view of present scenario of spreading of pandemic Coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the SHC division bench issued notice to Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit the reply on April 7, 2020 in a petition, seeking release of a senior citizen on bail due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Petitioner Barkat Ali aged 65 years moved SHC for post-arrest bail through Barrister Muhammad Asad Ashfaq. The petitioner is being tried in Accountability Court No 1, Karachi in NAB reference.
The petitioner submitted that he is already facing the hardship of being incarcerated for eight months and conclusion of the trial is nowhere in sight since, till date the trial court is lying vacant and only 1 out of 62 witness has been partially examined and due to the lockdown announced by the Sindh Government and policies of adopted by the courts and the Bar Associations to prevent an outbreak of the Coronavirus, the witnesses and accused persons would not be produced before the trial court for further proceedings.
He pleaded that slightest indication of Covid-19 can instantly prove to be fatal to his life as the virus is extremely lethal for old-aged people. The risk of contracting the virus also stands very high in prison since the same is overcrowded where it is impossible to exercise social distancing.
The petitioner prayed the court to admit his post-arrest bail pending trial in NAB reference, upon furnishing solvent surety to the satisfaction court.