Switching courts: Amir Khan case transferred to another ATC

The special public prosecutor said the judge was favouring the defence, during an earlier hearing

KARACHI: Days after an anti-terrorism court (ATC) allowed him to go abroad, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Amir Khan's case was transferred to another court on Tuesday.

The case of instigating terrorism and harbouring criminals against the MQM leader was transferred from ATC-II to ATC-IV, a routine practice to lessen the burden of the administrative courts. There are 10 ATCs in Karachi out of which three possess administrative powers. This means that they will be intimated according to the jurisdictions, initially when a case is brought.

Though a routine matter, the transfer comes at a crucial time when the trial court was a few steps away from framing the charges. According to an ATC-II staffer, around 150 cases were transferred to other courts.

Read: Sent to jail: Amir Khan remanded yet again

The former trial court recently granted permission to Khan to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. This was vehemently opposed by the prosecution. The case is being prosecuted by a Rangers special law officer. The special public prosecutor, Rana Khalid, accused the judge of favouring the defence, during an earlier hearing.

Khan appeared before the court on Tuesday, even though he remained absent from the past hearings. Due to the transfer of the case, the hearing was adjourned and the accused was asked to turn to the new trial court.

On his way back from court, Khan spoke to the media outside the ATC insisting that he was not planning to escape the trial by going abroad and had no ulterior motives. "I have other cases to face too, this is not the only one," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2015.