MQM MPA sent to jail in illicit weapons case

Court directs police to submit charge-sheet against Kamran Farooqui by next hearing

KARACHI: The anti-terrorism courts’ (ATCs) administrative judge remanded on Tuesday a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmaker to jail in judicial custody after the police submitted that his interrogation was completed.

Kamran Farooqui, an MPA from PS-111, was arrested on December 15 and later booked in cases pertaining to possessing illicit weapons, explosives and a stolen motorcycle. The police presented Farooqui before the ATC’s administrative judge for the second time since his arrest and said that the questioning process was completed and his custody was no longer required.



The investigation officer told the judge that the suspect confessed to the crime during interrogation. His statement was also recorded before a judicial magistrate, said the investigation officer. The judge sent the suspect on judicial remand till December 30 and asked the police to submit the charge-sheet by the next hearing.

Out of the three cases, two pertaining to weapons and explosives are being heard under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Meanwhile,the MPA refuted the allegations of his involvement in terrorism and said that the charges were fabricated to victimise him for his political affiliations.

There has also been a controversy about the place from when he was arrested. According to his party, Farooqui was picked up from his residence in North Nazimabad in a pre-dawn raid by law enforcers on December 14. The police, however, maintained that he was caught possessing an unlicensed pistol, one hand grenade and a stolen motorcycle during snap-checking in Garden Shoe Market area.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2016.