ATC denies Dr Asim bail in terrorists' refuge, treatment case

Ex-oil minister allegedly gave directions to Ziauddin hospital to screen off suspected militants from law enforcement

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court rejected on Saturday bail for Dr Asim Hussain, a close confidante of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari, in a case relating to providing refuge and medical treatment to terrorists.

On June 4, the ATC reserved its verdict on the bail plea of the former petroleum minister as well as political activist Usman Moazzam.

Asim, owner of Ziauddin hospitals, and Moazzam, the leader of religio-political group Pasban, are facing charges of facilitating terrorists and are currently in jail.



It is maintained that the suspected militants were ‘deliberately’ screened off from law enforcement by the hospital management, on Dr Asim’s directions.

On Wednesday, Dr Asim accused Asif Zardari’s foster brother of being involved in “all kinds of corruption” during the PPP current government in Sindh.



His counsel, however, said such confessional statements under the custody of the law enforcement agencies had no legal value.

The former federal minister is currently in the custody of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Karachi. He was first arrested by the paramilitary Rangers on charges of corruption and facilitating terrorists in August 2015.