ATC cancels former mayor’s exemption

Warns of judicial action against Waseem Akhtar if he fails to attend next hearing

KARACHI:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) cancelled on Saturday the exemption granted to former Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar from appearing before the court in seven cases pertaining to mayhem on May 12, 2007, in which he has been accused.

The court expressed annoyance when Akhtar failed to attend the hearing at Central Jail Karachi on the day. However, other accused, including Raees alias Mama, Rizwan alias Chapati and Umair Siddiqui, appeared before the court.

“Why hasn’t Akhtar appeared before the court when he is not the mayor any longer?” the court asked the accused’s counsel.

Cancelling the exemption granted to Akhtar on May 11, 2019, on the basis of him serving as the mayor, from appearing from the court, the ATC warned of strict judicial actions in case he failed to attend the next hearing.

Witness ‘thrashed’

Separately, a witness in cases pertaining to provocative speech, an attack on media house and terrorism registered against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members told the court that he was “brutally beaten” by a riled up mob on August 22, 2016.

The witness, a police official said in his statement to the court that he was thrashed by MQM leaders and workers on the day, when MQM members had ransacked a private television station before clashing with police after the party’s founder delivered an anti-state address via telephone.

According to the witness, he and other policemen were patrolling in a mobile van on the day when a mob attacked them.

“Soon after, the van’s driver fled,” he said, adding that he was left behind stranded at the mercy of a violent mob that tried to snatch his official rifle and beat him brutally. “They broke my jaw and hit my head with rods, as a result of which I fell unconscious,” he related. “I haven’t been able to talk and walk properly since then.”

After his statement was recorded, the court summoned more witnesses and adjourned the hearing till September 26.

The accused, including MQM leaders Amir Khan, Qamar Mansoor, Dr Farooq Sattar and Shahid Pasha, among others, also attended the hearing.

Indictment deferred

At another hearing of 27 cases pertaining to the hate speech by MQM’s founder, the court postponed the issuance of indictment against the accused due to the absence of one of them, MQM-London’s Sathi Ishaq.

While other accused, including MQM leaders Khan, Pasha, Mansoor, Dr Sattar, and Amjadullah appeared before the court, Ishaq failed to attend the hearing.

Consequently, the court deferred the indictment of the accused, while ordering all the accused to ensure their attendance at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2020.