Rangers have released 38 MQM workers so far

They had been detained during the raid on the party headquarters nearly three months ago.

KARACHI: Nearly three months after being detained during the raid at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters, 38 party workers have been declared innocent and released by the Rangers so far. Meanwhile, party leader Amir Khan was remanded to police custody by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday.

Several MQM workers were held during a raid by the Rangers at party headquarters Nine Zero and the Khursheed Memorial Hall on March 11. Around 60 party activists, along with Khan, were handed over to the Rangers for a 90-day preventive detention while 26 others were given in police custody.

The paramilitary force had earlier released 23 MQM workers and supporters, including five private security guards deputed at Nine Zero and three members of the party's information department, on March 13 when they were found innocent during interrogations.

Party sources told The Express Tribune that 38 MQM workers were released in the current week. They were detained in the Rangers cell at Karachi Central Jail, with eight to nine men in each room, and were also allegedly subjected to torture.

Meanwhile, the Rangers also informed an ATC about the release of 38 party workers, including former provincial legislator Yusuf Munir Sheikh and Karachi Mazafati Organising Committee incharge Farrukh Azam. The report stated that they were no longer required to be detained in light of the joint investigation team's (JIT) findings.

According to MQM sources, nearly two dozen men still remain in the custody of the paramilitary force. "We are hopeful that our remaining men will also be released soon but we fear that they may be booked in fake cases, since we have seen such tactics in the past," said party leader Aminul Haq. The Rangers spokesperson was unavailable for comment.

Amir Khan remanded

An ATC remanded MQM leader Amir Khan to police custody for seven days after he was implicated in a case for harbouring and financing criminals, following three months of preventive detention.

Meanwhile, security was on high alert, with the gates closed to the public and guards deployed on the roofs.

In ATC-II, the Rangers prosecution lawyer contended that the MQM leader had instigated, financed and provided shelter to hardened criminals. He pleaded the court hand over the suspect to police custody on a two-week physical remand.

Defence counsel Muhammad Jiwani claimed that Khan was being harassed for his political affiliations. "The Rangers detained him for three months without any charges. What did they investigate in this time?"

A Rangers official said a JIT report had been formulated in which Khan had confessed to serious crimes. He told the judge that the report could be submitted if the court wanted but in camera. The judge allowed the police to take the accused on physical remand but only for a week. He also directed the investigation officer to submit a progress report at the next hearing.

Khan has been booked under Section 11V and 21J of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which is punishable by life imprisonment if proved in court.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2015.