ATC summons more witnesses
An anti-terrorism court summoned more witnesses on Saturday after the lawyers cross-examined the statement of one of the witnesses in a terrorists’ facilitation case registered against former petroleum adviser Dr Asim Hussain.
The case relates to the alleged sheltering and treatment of terrorists and criminals belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Lyari gangs at Dr Asim’s private hospitals.
Giving his statement, witness inspector Nasir Farooq Qureshi told the court that Dr Asim was arrested from Dr Ziauddin Hospital in the presence of Rangers officials and personnel, and that evidence from the hospital was collected in his presence.
He said Dr Asim was given into the Rangers’ custody after the completion of required formalities.
Dr Asim, along with co-accused former Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar, MQM-Pakistan leader Rauf Siddiqui and others, appeared before the court at the hearing.
He was detained by the Rangers on August 26 last year, which was then seen as a major move against the PPP - owing to his lifelong association with Asif Ali Zardari - during the ongoing Karachi operation as its scope was widened.
Exemption granted
Prior to the cross-examination of inspector Qureshi’s statement, co-accused Anis Qaimkhani’s lawyer moved a plea seeking exemption for his client from attending the case’s hearings. The lawyer told the court that Qaimkhani was out of city and couldn’t attend the hearings.
Granting Qaimkhani exemption, the court adjourned the hearing until March 13.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2021.