Sui Southern Gas Company's deputy managing director remanded in Rangers custody for 90 days

Two other top SSGC officials were also reportedly taken into custody after a raid at the company's head office

PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI:
Pakistan Rangers on Saturday informed an anti-terrorism court (ATC-I) that three top officials of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) were under preventive detention for 90 days over 'credible information' on their involvement in terrorist activities. 

The SSGC Deputy Managing Director, Shoaib Warsi along with two other officials, Zuhair Siddiqui and Kamaran Ahmed, were reportedly taken into custody after a raid on Wednesday at the company's head office.

The trio were presented by Rangers before the ATC-I judge, Bashir Ahmed Khoso where their detention orders and jail warrants were submitted.

Further, according to sources, the measure was taken upon receiving information about the officials' involvement in offences including misuse of authority, as well as embezzlement of funds, which under the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) is classified as a form of terrorism.

SSGC officials have been interrogated by Rangers under Section 11EEEE of ATA which allows armed and civil armed forces of the country to detain any person suspected to be involved in terrorist activity for as long as three months.

Read: SSGC deputy managing director detained by law enforcement agencies

The suspects were formally taken into custody by Rangers after the court session. During the detention period, the suspects will be cross-examined by a joint interrogation team regarding the allegations.


Should substantial evidence be found during the probe, the officials will be implicated in the case and tried by the court of law.

Rangers submit Dr Asim Hussain's medical report in ATC

Pakistan Rangers informed an anti-terrorism court that Dr Asim Hussain – a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari -- was in good health and under special medical care.

The response came after Hussain’s family conveyed to the court that he was a chronic patient of diabetes, hypertension and requested them to facilitate his meeting with a physician.

The report - carried by Ranger’s deputy director of health services – stated that a doctor and two nurses were looking after him 24 hours a day, while medicine was also being provided.

Read: Anti-corruption drive: Confidante of Zardari detained on graft charges

On Wednesday, nearly a dozen personnel of the law enforcement agency raided Hussain’s office and took him into custody. Later, they presented him in ATC-III and managed to get him remanded for a 90-day preventive detention.

Rangers had contended they had ‘credible information’ against Dr Asim, who also served as key minister of petroleum for the PPP-led government in the past, for his involvement in the misappropriation of funds for supporting, enhancing terrorism.

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