ATC accepts MQM leader Amir Khan's bail plea

Court grants bail to MQM leader till July 15; directs him to pay Rs1 million in surety bonds

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC-II) accepted on Monday the bail plea of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Amir Khan, who was under custody on judicial remand.

Further, the ATC directed Amir to pay Rs1 million in surety bonds, adding that he cannot leave the country without permission.

According to sources, bail has been granted to the MQM leader until the next hearing of the case scheduled for July 15.

The court also directed the MQM leader to cooperate with police in the investigation and also restricted him from travelling abroad. The interior ministry has been informed about the court’s decision in black and white.

“MQM workers will continue to fight for Pakistan and its workers are true patriots,” said Amir while speaking to the media men outside the ATC.

“Conspiracies have been made against the MQM ever since the party created,” he said, “But the workers are united under the leadership of Altaf Hussain”.

According to reports, lawyers of the MQM leader and party’s member national assembly (MNA) from Azizabad, Kunwar Naveed were also present in the court.

Earlier on Friday, the ATC had reserved its verdict on the bail plea of the MQM leader.

The court reserved its verdict after listening to the arguments of the prosecution and defence.

The defence lawyers had contended before the court that none of the accused arrested from party headquarters, Nine-Zero on March 11, 2015 said during investigation that Amir Khan directed them to carry out any terrorist activity.

Rangers had claimed that they had apprehended nearly half a dozen target killers during the raid – including Faisal Mehmood, aka Mota, who was condemned to death by a court over his involvement in the murder of television journalist Wali Khan Babar.