NAWABSHAH: Ismail Dahiri, a close aide to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and a former special assistant to the Sindh chief minister, was on Thursday produced in the Nawabshah Antiterrorism Coun (ATC) in a case pertaining to possession of illegal arms and ammunition in a big quantity.

Dahiri, along with a younger brother and 45 associates, was arrested in a raid on his house in Daulatpur on June 27 by a joint force of police and Rangers personnel.

Arms and ammunition as well as mobile phones and other adicles were seized from the house.

ATC Judge Inayat Ali Memon examined the papers penaining to the case as produced by the Daulatpur police and found them incomplete. He adjourned the hearing to July 17 after which Dahiri was escohed back to jail. Dahiri got a chance to talk to some reponers outside the court. He was quoted as saying that a false case had been instituted against him as all the arms seized from his house were licensed ones. He said he had been sent to jail in the past as well but eventually emerged innocent and was freed. He said he was sure he would be set free this time also in this `concocted and fabricated case`.