ATC reserves verdict on Amir Khan’s plea

KARACHI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) reserved on Saturday its order on a plea of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Amir Khan seeking permission to go abroad on a two-week visit.

The MQM leader is accused of harbouring criminals and instigating terrorism. He was implicated in the case after being arrested along with some convicted and absconding suspects during the pre-dawn March 11 raid at the party headquarters, Nine Zero.

The prosecution alleges that Khan, being the security chief, provided shelter to as many as 26 hardened criminals at Nine Zero. He was, however, released on bail in June against a surety of Rs1 million.



Khan, through his counsel Shaukat Hayat, moved an application before the ATC-IV judge, Kausar Sultana, seeking permission to go to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), for two weeks.

When the application was taken up by the court on Saturday, Khan's attorney argued that the family of the applicant was residing in Dubai and his two sons were studying there.

On the other hand, the special public prosecutor, Rana Khalid, who represents the complainant, Rangers, in the case, opposed the application and submitted that the accused was given bail on the condition that he will not leave the country until the disposal of the case. He apprehended that the suspect will not come back if allowed to leave.

After hearing both the sides, the judge reserved her order till December 23. The court also directed the investigating officer to initiate proceedings against the absconders under sections 87 (proclamation for persons absconding) and 88 (attachment of property of person absconding) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Five suspects have been shown absconding in the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2015.