Mayor gets bail in two more cases

Rauf Siddiqui also granted bail in one case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday issued orders for the release of jailed Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar after granting him bail in two cases related to facilitation of provocative speeches. The court ordered Akhtar to deposit a surety sum of Rs100,000 in each case.

While the ATC-I has issued orders for Akhtar’s release as has the ATC-III after granting him bail in four cases, the city mayor is unlikely to be freed until he secures bail in two other pending cases.

Having secured bail in 38 of the 39 criminal cases lodged against him, Waseem Akhtar had on Thursday filed for bail in the last remaining case and the case would be heard on November 16.

The bail application, which pertains to the case of facilitating the delivery of a provocative speech by Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain, was submitted to an anti-terrorism court by Akhtar’s lawyer.  While the mayor has denied the charges, the ATC concerned fixed November 21 as the date to decide the bail matter. 

Arrested on July 19, Waseem Akhtar faces charges of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals, along with inciting riots. Akhtar has also been granted bail in several cases pertaining to the May 12, 2007 killings and also in the terror case in which he was nominated along with Dr Asim Hussian and other political leaders.

Rauf Siddiqui  

An ATC granted bail to former home minister and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Rauf Siddiqui in the case of facilitating delivery of a provocative speech. He was told to deposit a surety sum of Rs25,000.

Siddiqui is already out on bail in more than two dozen cases of a similar nature. However, in one case registered with the Super Highway police, he is yet to acquire bail. He had approached the administrative judge of the ATCs who referred the bail plea to the ATC-I which, after hearing the arguments, granted bail.  Siddiqui was alleged to have acted as a facilitator in the delivery of a incendiary speech by MQM founder Altaf Hussain. The former home minister contended in court that he had not acted as a facilitator and claimed innocence.

Activists acquitted

An ATC acquitted four activists of a political party, namely Irfan alias Anda, Imran alias Raju, Shehzad alias Khaba, and Farhan, who were tried for having possessed illegal weapons and explosive materials. The case could not be proved and the judge on Friday announced the acquittal of all four accused. 

TTP men

An ATC remanded three activists of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in the custody of the Sindh police’s Counter-Terrorism Department till November 16. 

The accused face cases of possession of illegal weapons and explosive materials. The court was informed that three men, Tajuddin, Syed Asif and Akbar, were involved in terrorist activities and law enforcers needed to interrogate them. The court granted the request for physical custody.