ATC approves physical remand of ‘Indian spy’

Siraj, an MQM worker, allegedly provided pictures and information of sensitive locations

KARACHI: The administrative judge of an anti-terrorism court on Wednesday handed over a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) worker to the police on an 11-day physical remand.

Police officials presented Siraj alias Razi, allegedly an Indian spy, before the court. The investigation officer (IO) informed the court that Siraj was in direct contact with MQM's Mehmood Siddiqui, who is in India, and was providing pictures and information about sensitive areas of the city to him through Shahid Shooter, another MQM worker.

Moreover, the accused was disbursing weapons and ammunition supplied by Siddiqui in Karachi, claimed the IO, adding that Shooter and other accomplices had already been arrested by the Special Investigation Unit police.



The IO further stated that the accused were being paid at least Rs400,000 to Rs600,000 by Siddiqui for working in his network. He claimed that Siraj had confessed to all the charges against him during the initial interrogation.

The IO moved the court to approve the physical remand of the accused so that the police could carry out further investigation of the case and trace the entire 'spy' network.

The court handed Siraj over to police custody on physical remand till April 19 and sought a progress report on the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2020.