Saleem Shehzad granted B-class prison facilities

An anti-terrorism court granted B-class prison facilities to Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Saleem Shehzad on Saturday.

The court had remanded Shehzad to the central prison on February 7. The court will hear his bail plea on February 18 when the main case against him will be heard.

Earlier, the court directed the state counsel to present his arguments on the bail application moved on Shehzad’s behalf, but the latter said he had just received the court notice and it would take him some time to prepare a case against the plea.

The court then observed that the bail plea would also be heard with the main case.

Shehzad, one of the founding members of the MQM, was arrested at the airport after his arrival in Karachi.

Shehzad, along with Dr Asim Hussain, Waseem Akhtar, Rauf Siddiqui, Qadir Patel, Usman Mozzam, and Anis Qaimkhani., was an absconder in a terrorism-related case pertaining to the provision of shelter and treatment to terrorist and other criminals. The court had repeatedly issued non-bailable warrants against him.

The investigation officer had reported that Shehzad was in hiding abroad.

The prosecution has alleged that years ago, some criminals were provided medical treatment at two branches of the Ziauddin Hospital  owned by the former federal minister and a close aide to the then President Asif Ali Zardari.

Dr Asim, who recently has been nominated as the Pakistan People’s Party Karachi President, had reportedly told the investigators that he had permitted the admission of some accused to his hospitals as he was asked by some political leaders to do so.

Later, however, Dr Asim denied the claim that he had made a confessional statement. Dr Asim, Shehzad and other accused are face charges of being facilitators in the case. Shehzad might also be presented in the court of a judicial magistrate concerned in different cases seeking physical remand.

Shehzad would have to face the case of his alleged escape from the country using a fake ID card. It is said that Shehzad had fled from the country in the 1990s.

Commenting on the prevailing political situation, Shehzad had told journalists that he had decided to carry out political activities in Karachi while residing in the city.

He termed all the current political players as children and students, saying that he had trained them and supported them in the political arena in the past. He admitted he was glad to return to his country, especially to his city, adding that he had not yet decided to join any party at this point in time.

Responding to a query, he said it was a good omen that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had welcomed him.