May 12 killings: ATC indicts Akhtar, 20 others in two more cases

Court summons witnesses amid protest by lawyers

KARACHI: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC-2) on Saturday indicted Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and 20 others in two other cases of May 12 incidents and summoned witnesses to record statements. Akhtar and other accused denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. The lawyers for the accused protested as the judge read out the charge sheet. They argued that they had filed an application with the Sindh High Court for the transfer of the case to some other court. They maintained that the process of indictment should be deferred till the decision of the high court on their plea.

The court, rejecting the arguments, remarked that the process will continue till the cases are not transferred. The court issued notices to investigation officers and summoned ten witnesses on January 10.

The same court had earlier, on May 15, 2018 and October 6, 2018, indicted the same accused in two other cases relating to May 12 violence and killings.

The two different ATCs are hearing seven different cases relating to mayhem on May 12, 2007. The ATC-2 is hearing four cases registered in the jurisdiction of Airport Police Station. Three other cases are being heard by ATC-3.

While 15 accused in these cases have been declared absconders, one of the accused, Mehmood Khan, had died in prison, Sajid alias Shatro had been killed in a police encounter and another, Umair Siddiqui, is in prison. Akhtar and 20 others are on bail in these cases.

The indictment and proceedings in other cases at ATC-2 were disrupted due to power breakdown in jail premises and adjoining areas. The court staff was forced to proceed with the flash lights of mobile phones. Due to load shedding, the hearing of May 12 incident case started late

Anti-Pakistan speech

Another anti-terrorism court on Saturday, in 26 cases regarding hate speech, adjourned the hearing till January 19. Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Farooq Sattar, Senior Deputy Convener Amir Khan, Khuwaja Izhar, Rehan Hashmi, Qamar Mansoor, Rauf Siddiqi and others appeared before the court. The court, however, adjourned the hearing without any proceedings. Five accused were to be indicted on Saturday. The MQM leaders, Farooq Sattar, Khuwaja Izhar, Waseem Akhhter, Qamar Mansoor, Rehan Hashmi, Rauf Siddiqui and others, were indicted in 21 cases in the last hearing. The court authenticated the interim bail of accused in 21 cases. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2018.