Waseem Akhtar, three other politicians arrested on terror facilitation charges

Waseem Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui, Anis Kaimkhani and Qadri Patel arrested on ATC orders

KARACHI: The mayor-designated of the metropolis, and three other prominent politicians were arrested on Tuesday after an anti-terrorism court rejected their interim bails in a terror facilitation case involving former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain.

Waseem Akhtar, leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM),was nominated as a mayor of Karachi in December.

Police confirmed that Waseem, his party colleague Rauf Siddiqui, Pak Sarzameen Party’s Anis Kaimkhani and PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel have been taken into custody.

Dr Asim, who is also the chancellor of Ziauddin University Hospital, has been under custody since August last year and is accused of providing medical assistance and shelter to terrorists of different political groups at his hospitals. The are accused of referring their injured terrorists for treatment at Asim’s hospitals – documents in support of the charges were submitted with the court.

At the start of hearing on Tuesday, the ATC-II judge pronounced the verdict that there were sufficient evidence against the accused to establish their role in the commission of the offence. The verdict had been reserved in the previous hearing. The ATC-II also issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Saleem Shahzad, a London-based MQM leader.

The MQM and PSP leaders present in the courtroom protested against the verdict, calling it political victimisation. Lawyers gathered for the hearing of their respective clients also joined in and attempted to prevent the arrests.

Abdul Qadir Patel, Anis Qaimkhani & Rauf Siddiqui. PHOTO: FILE

Meanwhile, PPP’s Qadir Patel managed to leave the courtroom unchallenged. Afterwards, the court complex, situated a block away from the Bilawal House, was put under curfew and no one was allowed to leave or enter the premises.

According to DSP Altaf Hussain, the investigation officer, security arrangements were made to avert incidents like that of Patel. He said there was resistance on part of the lawyers defending the accused.

MQM’s legal-aid head Mehfooz Yar Khan said they would file a petition in the Sindh High Court against the decision and would also write a letter to the Sindh Assembly speaker over the arrest of Siddiqui, who is a sitting MPA.

More than three hours after the pronouncement of the verdict, the MQM and PSP leaders were transported to a jail in two separate armoured personnel carriers. As the APC, drove out of the court complex, Waseem and Siddiqui emerged from the hatch and flashed victory signs to the media.

Patel surrenders

As the news of Patel’s escape made the rounds through news channels, Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal directed the law enforcement agencies to arrest him immediately. “The Sindh government does not support any unruly activities and will take strict action against all those involved. Law shall take its course,” he said.

Later, Patel, escorted by a number of his supporters, surrendered to police. Refuting that he had escaped from the court, he said he just walked away to meet his lawyer. “I am the only one who has come all the way from London to face the charges. How can I escape?” he said, adding that the scene was misinterpreted.

MQM and PSP reaction

The MQM condemned the arrest of Waseem and Rauf. “It is continuation of the policy of victimising the MQM,” party leader Kunwar Naveed Jamil told a news conference.

PPP Senator Saeed Ghani denounced the arrest of Patel as an act of political victimisation. “Dr Asim has been mentally tortured in custody and a media trial is carried out against him,” he said.  PSP chief Mustafa Kamal claimed that Qaimkhani had been wrongly accused in the case. Kamal said Qaimkhani had never even spoken to Dr Asim and that his name had been included in the case while Qaimkhani was out of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.