IO asked to present witnesses in Mullah Mansoor properties case

According to challan, slain Taliban leader owned multiple plots, flats and other residential properties in Karachi

KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court on Saturday directed the investigation officer to ensure the presence of witnesses during the next hearing in a case pertaining to the suspension of financial aid to terrorists on the orders of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and alleged forgery by slain Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour and his frontmen.

The court had already summoned the mukhtiarkars (revenue officers) related to the properties of the accused.

Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had submitted the final challan of the case in the court.

According to the challan, Mansour owned multiple plots, flats and other residential properties in Karachi and had acquired two fake computerised national identity cards in the names of Muhammad Wali and Gul Muhammad to run an illegal business with his frontmen Ammar and Akhtar.

The property had been sealed, while his front men had gone into hiding.

On July 25, 2019, the investigation officer had filed a final charge-sheet before the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts, mentioning that Mullah Mansour, successor of Mullah Omar as Taliban chief, was killed in a drone strike at the Pak-Iran border on May 21, 2016.

The charge-sheet said: “During the course of enquiry/investigation it transpired that accused Mullah Akhtar Mansour purchased following properties in the name of his spy identities viz Muhammad Wali and Gul Muhammad.”

It said a flat — B-16, Bismillah Terrace, Gulzar-i-Hijri, Scheme-33, Karachi — was purchased by Mullah Mansour against a payment of Rs1.4 million.

The charge-sheet said another flat — B-6-3, Ammar Tower, Shaeed-i-Millat Road, Karachi — was purchased by Mullah Mansour against the payment of Rs3,620,000 on July 19, 2011. Yet another flat — 801, Sumaya Residency, near Gulistan-i-Anees marriage hall, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Karachi — was purchased by Mullah Mansour against a payment of Rs17,300,000 on Sept 15, 2014.

It said plot number B-65, measuring 441.67 square yards, Sector-W, Sub-sector-III, Gulshan-i-Maymar, KDA Scheme-45, Karachi, was purchased by Mullah Mansour on December 1, 2009, against a payment of Rs5.4 million. This property was registered in the name of Gul Muhammad.

“According to sale/purchase deed ... made between the seller Arshad Mazhar and purchaser Gul Muhammad the value of said open plot was shown as Rs486,500 instead of actual value of Rs5.4 million,” the charge-sheet highlighted.

It further listed a house — A-56, Sector-Z, Sub-sector-V, Gulshan-i-Maymar, KDA Scheme-45, Karachi — which was purchased by Mullah Mansour against a payment of Rs4.7 million on Nov 29, 2007.