Abduction case: ATC calls Rangers officials as witnesses against Afaq Ahmed

The abducted man, had told court that the Rangers men played a key role in his recovery.

KARACHI: An Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) summoned two Rangers officials to record their statements in a kidnapping for ransom case against Mohajir Qaumi Movement - Haqiqi (MQM- H) chief, Afaq Ahmed.

The Rangers director-general was also given directions to ensure that the officials appear before the court. The MQM-H chief has been charged with abetting the May 2011 abduction of complainant, Jameel Ahmed Baloch, the then sub-divisional officer of the defunct Karachi Development Authority, in Korangi for ransom.

The court summoned Colonel Abdul Malik, Major Ashraf of Pakistan Rangers, to record their statements on August 19 on an application filed by the complainant.



The complainant, through his lawyer, had filed the application under Section 540 (power to summon material witness or examine persons present) of the criminal procedure code in the court.

In the previous hearing, Baloch had stated that the then Colonel Abdul Malik and Major Ashraf had negotiated with the suspect and played a key role in his recovery and then handed him over to the police.

Following the application, the court had reserved its order on the application seeking evidence of the Rangers officers in the case. The counsel had submitted that both the officials were important witnesses in the case, but the investigation officer never named them as witnesses in the charge sheet. The counsel, while requesting the court to summon the witnesses said that only court could order to call the witnesses in the case now. According to the police, Baloch was called at Baitul Hamza, the then headquarters of Mohajir Qaumi Movementm abducted allegedly by Afaq Ahmed, who also pressurised to transfer the plot, Baitul Hamza, in party’s name.

The police had registered a case, No.201/2001 under section 365-A, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997 at Korangi police station, Karachi. Moreover, two suspects, including a former MPA Younus Khan, had already been acquitted in case for want of evidence.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2013.