An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday rejected the bail plea of Azam Swati, one of the accused persons in the Perween Rahman murder case. Rahman, who was the Director of the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), was gunned down by four men in a targeted attack near the Banaras flyover in Orangi Town in March 2013. She was a vocal activist working for land and water rights of the residents in city’s peripheral areas. During the hearing on Saturday, prosecution lawyer Advocate Salahuddin Panhwar argued that setting the accused free would put the lives of witnesses in danger. The prosecution contended that Azam was the son of Raheem Swati – the prime accused in the murder case. Panhwar further said the accused was likely to flee if granted bail. Announcing the earlier reserved verdict on Azam’s bail plea, the court rejected the petition. The ATC has also reserved its verdict on Raheem’s bail petition. Later, Panhwar submitted a plea to provide security to him and the case’s witnesses. The hearing was then adjourned till August 10. Published in Daily Times, August 5th 2018.