Fresh move: Arrest warrants stack up against Altaf Hussain

PESHAWAR/ KARACHI:

An anti-terrorism court in Karachi has again issued non-bailable warrants for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s arrest in the criminal intimidation case instituted against him on the complaint of Sindh Rangers’ Col Tahir Mehmood.

Moreover, an ATC in Timergara has also issued separate warrants for Altaf’s arrest to the SHOs of the Samar Bagh and Och police stations via advertisements in Urdu dailies.

A Karachi ATC had issued warrants in the past two hearings as well, asking for a report to be submitted on the progress of the case.

Col Mehmood, who led the paramilitary force’s raid on MQM headquarters Nine Zero on March 11, said in his FIR that Altaf had used threatening language against the raiding team during a TV show.

The charge sheet quoted the MQM chief as saying, “The officials who had raided my house were Rangers officials. They ‘were’. They are now ‘were’ (of the past).”

A case against Altaf was registered at the Civil Lines police station under Section 506-B (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Meanwhile, a Timergara ATC asked the SHOs of Samar Bagh and Och police stations through advertisements in newspapers to arrest the MQM chief and bring him before the court within a week.

An Och police official said a local man had registered a case against Altaf for “spreading hatred through his speeches”. Another complainant had filed a similar case at the Samar Bagh police station.

According to the published advertisements, the MQM chief is wanted by police in Lower Dir district in connection with anti-state cases.

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