ATC indicts Sattar in hate speech case

Sattar pleads his innocence before the court; IO witnesses summoned


Our Correspondent July 17, 2019
Farooq Sattar and 13 other accused appeared before the court which indicted the accused. PHOTO: EXPRESS

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) indicted 18 accused on Tuesday, including the head of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) Organisation Restoration Committee, in the case pertaining to hate speech. The court summoned the investigation officer (IO) and witnesses to record their statements after the accused pleaded not guilty.

Farooq Sattar and 13 other accused appeared before the court which indicted the accused. Sattar pleaded his innocence before the court and denied the charges. The ATC adjourned the hearing till July 29 while summoning the IO and witnesses to record their statements.

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Sattar's bail has been confirmed in the case. According to a defence lawyer, Latif Pasha, Sattar attended the protest against the expulsion of Pakistan Quarters' residents as a public representative. The lawyer argued that police nominated Sattar in the FIR based on mala fide intent.

According to police, the case against Sattar was registered in Soldier Bazaar Police Station under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code pertaining to hate speech, others.

IO summoned

Another ATC summoned the IO for his statement in former SP Chaudhry Aslam's murder case. The accused, Zafar alias Saeein and Obaid alias Aabi, were produced before the court.

The case has entered its final stages. Statements of 26 witnesses have been recorded and the statement of the IO will be recorded in the next hearing.

The court adjourned the hearing till July 25 while directing the IO to ensure his presence at the next hearing.

According to police, the court has declared banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Mullah Fazalullah and Shahidullah Shahid absconders. The accused was arrested by Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police and he confessed to facilitating and providing reconnaissance for the attack on the former SP. Chaudhry Aslam and nine others were killed in a bomb blast in January 2014.

Murder case

Meanwhile, another ATC summoned more witnesses in the citizen Maqsood's murder case while recording the statement of a key witness. The court recorded the statement of Rana Ghulam Murtaza. In his statement before the ATC, Murtaza said that he was travelling in the rickshaw that the deceased, Rauf, was driving. Rauf's friend, Maqsood, was sitting with him, said Murtaza. As per his statement, two people on a motorcycle attempted to stop the rickshaw on Sharae Faisal but Rauf did not stop the rickshaw.

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"Then I heard the gunshot. The rickshaw turned over and firing started," said Murtaza. He added that a tall policeman with a beard pulled him out of the rickshaw and took him to the police station. Murtaza said the police let him go after verification.

The ATC recorded Murtaza's statement and summoned more witnesses. The court adjourned the hearing till July 29.

According to police, four police officials have been nominated in the case. ASI Tariq Khan, Akbar Khan, Abdul Waheed and Shaukat are out on bail. Maqsood, a friend of the rickshaw driver Rauf was killed on February 18 on Sharae Faisal.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2019.

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