Terrorists' facilitation case: Dr Asim seeks bail from Sindh High Court

Court issues notices to provincial advocate-general, prosecutor-general

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the provincial advocate-general and prosecutor-general on a bail application filed by the former federal petroleum minister, Dr Asim Hussain, in relation to a terrorism case.

A division bench, headed by Justice Syed Mohammad Farooq Shah, directed them on Monday to file comments on behalf of the relevant provincial authorities by July 20.

Dr Asim, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, was booked in a case relating to provision of medical treatment and shelter to terrorists and criminals belonging to various banned outfits as well as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Lyari-based gangs at his private hospitals.

He had filed an application with the high court, seeking post-arrest bail after an anti-terrorism court dismissed the same on June 19, observing that 'sufficient evidence had been found for him to be prosecuted for the offence.'

The FIR registered by the Rangers deputy superintendent alleges that Dr Asim provided medical treatment and shelter to terrorists and criminals on the behest of MQM leaders Abdul Rauf Siddiqui, Wasim Akhtar, Anis Qaimkhani and Saleem Shahzad and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Qadir Patel.

Dr Asim's lawyer, Anwar Mansoor Khan, maintained that his client had nothing to do with the daily affairs of the hospital and the prosecution witness, Yousuf Sattar, was actually the person in charge of running the hospital's daily affairs. He alleged that the prosecution had manipulated medical bills to make a case against his client. He added that Dr Asim was suffering from several ailments that required early medical treatment. Therefore, he pleaded the court to grant bail to his client.

After initial hearing on the bail plea, the bench issued notices to the provincial advocate-general, the prosecutor general and others to file their comments by July 20.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2016.