10 more MQM workers remanded in police custody

Karachi

The administrative judge of anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday handed over 10 more workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to police on a one-day physical remand in cases pertaining to sedition, attack on media houses and riots during which a passer-by was killed from a gunshot on August 22.

Police officials produced Fareed Ahmed, Adeel, Asif Khan, Masroor Ahmed, Javed Shokat, Niaz Ahmed, Muhammad Waheed, Rashid, Hasnain Alam and Mohsin before the judge and sought their physical remand for interrogation. The investigation officer (IO) informed the court that the suspects were involved in attacking an office of a private news channel, setting police mobile and other vehicles ablaze, rioting that injured over 10 persons and killed a man.

He requested the judge to allow the police to keep the suspects on physical remand as they were needed to be interrogated to ascertain the whereabouts of their absconding accomplices.

Accepting the police request, the court handed over all the suspects to police on a one-day physical remand.

The police was also directed to submit a progress report at the next hearing. Earlier on Wednesday, the same court sent MQM deputy convener Shahid Pasha, MNA Kanwar Naveed Jameel and Qamar Mansoor along with around 40 workers to prison on judicial remand on the same charges after the expiry of their physical remand.

According to the police, the MQM founder, senior leader Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan and other 1,500 accused were still absconding and yet to be arrested in this case.

A day earlier, the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) sent 44 leaders and workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to the central prison on judicial remand. 

Qamar Mansoor, Shahid Pasha, MNA Kunwar Naveed,  city councillor Qurat-ul-Ain, her mother Rabia and nurse Sumaira were among the suspects sent to the central prison. 

The judge ordered the investigation officer (IO) to submit the charge sheet against the accused in 14 days.

The defendants are standing trial over various charges, including  involvement in arson attacks on media houses and chanting slogans against the country during a vitriolic speech by the party’s founder, Altaf Hussain, by phone from London at a hunger strike camp outside the Karachi Press Club in the security red zone on August 22. 

Qamar Mansoor told the judge that he was seriously ill, but despite court orders, he had not been taken to hospital by the jail authorities. Instead, he said, he was forced to sit on the floor. When he sought due medical facilities, the judge told him to file a written application. 

Earlier, the investigation officer told the court that six sticks and two cartridges used in violence on August 22 were seized as case property.

The court directed that SSP Investigations (South) Adeel Hussain Chandio be assigned to look into the charges.