ATC allows mayor to travel for Iran conference

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday granted permission to Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, who is out on bail in multiple cases, to travel abroad to attend a conference.

The court also ordered that the mayor be given his passport back after depositing Rs2 million. Akhtar, who personally appeared for yesterday’s hearing, told the court he wanted to attend a conference in Iran. The court granted him permission with orders to deposit Rs2 million for his passport. 

The same court reserved its order on the interim bail plea of another MQM leader, Saleem Shehzad, who is among those accused of providing treatment to outlaws at two hospitals. 

Shehzad had told the court that he was suffering from kidney cancer and needed dedicated treatment. The court directed the prison authorities to provide him all necessary treatment but reserved its judgment on his bail application.