ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrants against MQM-Pakistan leaders

Party chief Farooq Sattar says raids at the workers houses and their arrests have intensified

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) issued on Saturday non-bailable arrest warrants for Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) members and lawmakers in a hate speech case.

The MNAs against whom the warrants were issued included MNA Rasheed Godil, Salman Mujahid, Khalid Maqbool and Khushbakht Shujat, Express News reported.

In August 2016, MQM's founder Altaf Hussain's address to his workers let to attacks on the offices of television channels. The development led to the party being divided into two factions, one of them being led by veteran Farooq Sattar.

The court issued the warrants after hearing in three of the 29 cases registered against the accused, relating to hate speech and incitement of violence.

Later, Sattar told journalists that raids at workers' houses and arrests had intensified. "We hope that the ongoing cases will reach their logical conclusion," he added.