Warrants issued for Farooq Sattar, other MQM-Pakistan for ‘resorting to violence’

Senior MQM leaders to be presented before a judicial magistrate on August 17

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate issued on Monday non-bailable warrants of arrest for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan head others leaders for 'resorting to violence' during a protest outside Chief Minister House.

MQM-Pakistan Convener Farooq Sattar, deputy convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Sindh opposition leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar were booked by police in June, 2016 after they organised a protest outside CM House over the water scarcity in the city.

During the hearing, the investigation officer presented a progress report before the District South judicial magistrate - XXVI and cited failure in the arrest of the absconding suspects, who include Sattar and Siddiqui. Akhtar and Hassan have obtained bail from the court.

 



The police had implicated around 500 people, most of them unknown, for allegedly rioting during the protest. According to the prosecution, the MQM leaders incited their workers to cause a riot in the Red Zone, blocking roads and disrupting law and order.

The protest started from the Karachi Press Club. MQM leaders led the protesters but were stopped by police on the way. They moved ahead and, as the march reached near CM House, a skirmish ensued as the police had placed containers as barricades on the road to stop the protesters from going further.

The judicial magistrate ordered the issuance of non-bailable warrants and directed the investigating officer to make efforts to arrest the absconders and submit a compliance report on the next hearing on August 17.