ATC allows medical treatment for detained MQM leader

Laywer says Qamar Mansoor suffers with spinal pain and his condition has worsened during his detention period

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday allowed detained leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Qamar Mansoor, to avail medical treatment during his detention period.

Qamar Mansoor’s laywer had earlier requested the court to allow his client to avail medical treatment along with a check-up to determine his condition as he has been suffering from backbone pain for the past 17 years. The lawyer also said that Mansoor's condition has worsened during his detention period.

The ATC had asked Rangers to ensure Mansoor goes through a medical check-up. However, during today’s hearing of the case, the Rangers failed to provide results of the treatment.

A lawyer from the Rangers side told the court that it was not the law enforcement agency's duty to provide Mansoor with the required medical treatment, adding that the arrested leader could avail it at the jail’s hospital.

Read: ATC hands over MQM's Qamar Mansoor to Rangers on 90-day remand

Qamar Mansoor has now been allowed to have private medical check-up and treatment at his own expenses.

Qamar Mansoor, a member of MQM's Rabita Committee was arrested by Rangers on July 17 after the LEA raided the party’s headquarter Nine-Zero in Azizabad, Karachi.

The court on July 22 had handed over Qamar Mansoor to Rangers on a 90-day remand.

Read: Preventive detention: MQM’s Qamar Mansoor to be grilled for 90 days

Rangers had requested the ATC to hand over Mansoor for 90-day remand as the security institution wanted to investigate into cases relating to hate speeches against him.