Police custody: MQM leaders, activists remanded for three days

Police present MNA, leaders and 11 workers before court

KARACHI: The anti-terrorism courts' administrative judge remanded on Tuesday three leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and 11 party workers in police custody in a case pertaining to the August 22 attack at media officer.

Police presented MNA Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Qamar Mansoor, Shahid Pasha and 11 workers of the party, including Muhammad Salim, Syed Arshad Ali, Abdul Rehman, Nadim, Irfan, Muhammad Asif, Fahim Danish, Muhammad Subhan, Rao Tariq and Sabihuddin, in court seeking their remand.

They were arrested in an overnight crackdown against the MQM after the party chief incited his workers to attack media houses over not getting desired coverage. One person was killed, seven were wounded, a police mobile and a motorcycle were set on fire, police personnel were attacked and ARY News office was ransacked during the riots.

The investigating officer sought a two-week remand of the suspects to interrogate them. The judge, however, refused and allowed only three days to the police to keep the custody of the suspects.

The case is registered under sections pertaining to murder, rioting, sedition, criminal intimidation and terrorism at Artillery Maidan police station. MQM leaders Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Gulfaraz Khan Khattak and some 1,500 to 2,000 unidentified men have been named as absconders in the case.

Earlier in the day, the Rangers launched a four-hour-long operation at MQM’s headquarters, Nine Zero, in Azizabad and sealed several buildings, including Altaf Hussain’s residence, Khursheed Memorial Hall, MPA hostel and media cell.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2016.