MQM chief declared absconder

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday accepted a report submitted by the Investigation Officer (IO) stating that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain was an absconder in an attempted murder case registered in the Civil Lines police station for allegedly hurling threats at the Rangers after a raid on Nine-Zero.
The investigation officer submitted that Altaf Hussain was not in the country and therefore, could not be arrested and requested the court to declare him an absconder, which the court approved.
Investigation Officer (IO) Muhammad Naeem, who presented a charge sheet in the court under Section 512 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), said that MQM chief Altaf Hussain nominated in the FIR registered in Civil Lines police station could not be produced before the trial court as he was not in Pakistan. The court accepted this plea and declared Altaf Hussain an absconder in this case.
The First Information Report (FIR) in this case was registered on March 15 at the Civil Lines police station by Sindh Rangers Spokesman Colonel Tahir under Section 7 of the Anti-terrorism Act 1997 and 506B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The FIR was lodged after the Rangers headed by Colonel Tahir raided the MQM headquarters, Nine-Zero, and adjoining areas on March 11. The complaint lodged by Colonel Tahir alleged that the MQM chief threatened them by stating that the Rangers officers who raided 90 would be ‘history’. The complainant stated that in his statement, Altaf had hurled veiled threats to Rangers officers.
The charge sheet submitted to the court had now declared Altaf Hussain an absconder in this case pertaining to using threatening language against the Sindh Rangers. The charge sheet has been accepted by the ATC concerned. The court later directed the IO to carry out his investigation and submit a report to this effect at the next hearing.
It may be mentioned that in July, dozens of cases had been registered against Altaf Hussain and others in different parts of the country. In such cases, Altaf Hussain was accused of involvement in cases of criminal conspiracy, waging or attempting or abetting the war against Pakistan and committing acts of terrorism. In response to a similar case, an ATC in Gilgit-Baltistan while hearing the matter had issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the MQM chief.