ATC indicts Sattar, other MQM-P leaders

All 60 accused deny charges, call it a political case

KARACHI: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday indicted Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Shahid Pasha and 60 others on charges of incitement, murder, revolt and attack on media houses.

The ATC was hearing two cases pertaining to hate speech and attack on media houses on August 22, 2016. MQM-P leaders appeared before the court and pleaded not guilty.

MQM founder Altaf Hussain has already been declared absconder in the case along with Rafi Akbar, Zakir Qureshi, Javed Kazmi, Arif Khan, Muhammad Sabir, Akbar Rajput and Aslam Khan Afridi. The ATC has already issued red warrant against the MQM founder.

According to the charge-sheet against the accused, Altaf delivered an inciting speech outside the Karachi Press Club, and the MQM-P leaders facilitated him.

The court noted that the speech, during which “Pakistan was called a running sore”, caused incitement and was an attack on the sanctity of the country. The MQM founder also ordered attack on media houses, it added.

When the court asked the accused whether they had heard the inciting words from their then leader, all of them denied. “Please speak the truth… did you not do anything?” the court asked the accused again, but they maintained their stance.

According to the charge-sheet, Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Kunwar Naveed and Shahid Pasha provided a tent outside the club.

The court was also presented a CD of Amir Khan’s speech on August 22, 2016 but he disputed its content. The court also referred to a video showing the accused holding sticks when incidents of vandalism took place.

“Did you play any role in these events,” inquired the court, but the accused answered in the negative.

“You have put the country’s sanctity and well-being at stake,” said the court while the accused maintained they were “true Pakistanis”.



After the hearing, the special court adjourned the hearing till December 1, 2018 and summoned witnesses to record their statements.

Sattar and Amir, meanwhile, maintained a distance in the court. About a year ago, Sattar had developed differences with Amir and other senior party leaders in his camp.

Speaking to media after the hearing, Sattar said that the charge-sheet against him and others was a legal obligation.

“I stood by Pakistan on the night of August 22,” he said, adding that he did not side with the MQM founder’s stance and separated with him the same night.

“All of us have rejected treason charges in the court,” he said, adding that the case was a conspiracy against him and now ‘fake’ witnesses were being produced in the court.

The former minister claimed that even though more than 1,400 persons had been charged in the case, only 60 were present in court, all of whom denied the charges.

“This case is political in nature. We aren’t asking for any NRO in this case,” said Sattar, adding that the MQM chief’s speech was ‘unbelievable and unimaginable’.