May 12 mayhem: Notices issued to Altaf, Musharraf
SHC restores petitions on 2007 violence in Karachi.
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court has put former president Pervez Musharraf, MQM head Altaf Hussain and former Sindh home minister Waseem Akhtar on notice in the May 12, 2007, Karachi violence case.
The court heard an application from Syed Iqbal Kazmi, a representative of the Human Rights Commission of South Asia, seeking restoration of petitions regarding ‘May 12’ against the individuals.
The hearing was scheduled for an indefinite date, with orders for the court to hear the case when its turn comes.
On May 12, 2007, 48 people were killed and several vehicles burnt on one of the bloodiest days in Karachi’s history. The then deposed Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was scheduled to address a rally in Karachi, organised by the PPP, JI and ANP. The MQM, who at the time backed Musharraf, organised a counter-rally, leading eventually to violent clashes between the two sides.
A recent revelation from WikiLeaks has done nothing to dispel suspicions of Musharraf’s involvement in the May 12 violence. The secret cable told of a conversation between Farooq Sattar, parliamentary leader of the MQM, and Charge d’affaires of the US Consulate Peter Boday. Sattar is reported to have said that some MQM workers, Musharraf, landlords, Inter Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and other political parties were all guilty of causing or exacerbating the mayhem on May 12.
In a 40-minute phone call, Sattar told Boday that certain members of his party did cause violence on the day, and that the party should consider disarming its militant wing. Sattar also denied that slogans chanted in favour of Musharraf were made on his directions.
The CJ had been due to make an address at the SHC but was prevented from doing so by the mob violence.
A number of petitions, including a suo motu, were filed but proceedings were subsequently dropped after Musharraf declared an emergency in the country and suspended the constitution.
After Musharraf left office and moved abroad, applications for restoration of the petitions were filed. Following a prolonged delay, the cases are now ripe for hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2011.
The Sindh High Court has put former president Pervez Musharraf, MQM head Altaf Hussain and former Sindh home minister Waseem Akhtar on notice in the May 12, 2007, Karachi violence case.
The court heard an application from Syed Iqbal Kazmi, a representative of the Human Rights Commission of South Asia, seeking restoration of petitions regarding ‘May 12’ against the individuals.
The hearing was scheduled for an indefinite date, with orders for the court to hear the case when its turn comes.
On May 12, 2007, 48 people were killed and several vehicles burnt on one of the bloodiest days in Karachi’s history. The then deposed Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was scheduled to address a rally in Karachi, organised by the PPP, JI and ANP. The MQM, who at the time backed Musharraf, organised a counter-rally, leading eventually to violent clashes between the two sides.
A recent revelation from WikiLeaks has done nothing to dispel suspicions of Musharraf’s involvement in the May 12 violence. The secret cable told of a conversation between Farooq Sattar, parliamentary leader of the MQM, and Charge d’affaires of the US Consulate Peter Boday. Sattar is reported to have said that some MQM workers, Musharraf, landlords, Inter Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and other political parties were all guilty of causing or exacerbating the mayhem on May 12.
In a 40-minute phone call, Sattar told Boday that certain members of his party did cause violence on the day, and that the party should consider disarming its militant wing. Sattar also denied that slogans chanted in favour of Musharraf were made on his directions.
The CJ had been due to make an address at the SHC but was prevented from doing so by the mob violence.
A number of petitions, including a suo motu, were filed but proceedings were subsequently dropped after Musharraf declared an emergency in the country and suspended the constitution.
After Musharraf left office and moved abroad, applications for restoration of the petitions were filed. Following a prolonged delay, the cases are now ripe for hearing.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2011.