MQM founder declared PO, another NBW out for Farooq Sattar

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder, Altaf Hussain, was again declared a proclaimed offender, while non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against MQM-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Farooq Sattar only three days after he was released on assurances of appearing before the anti-terrorism court (ATC).

The ATC was hearing cases pertaining to delivering provocative speeches, sedition and inciting people to violence.

The IO was directed to produce Dr Sattar in court on April 6 so charges could be filed against him.

Among other accused to have been declared POs along with Hussain were Zakir Qureshi, Aslam Khan Afridi, Arif Khan and three absconders.

NBWs were also issued against senior MQM-P leader Amir Khan; he although acquired bail from the court soon after the cases were registered.

The officer had in an earlier hearing stated that he had conducted several raids but could not locate any of the accused.

Dr Sattar was arrested on late Friday night while he was returning home from a wedding. He was, however, released a few hours later.

According to sources Sattar was released after high-level political intervention. He was said to have submitted a written assurance to appear before the ATC.

The court also entertained bail pleas of 10 accused involved in two provocative speech and riots cases, registered at the Artillery Maidan police station.

Examining facts and hearing arguments, the court granted bail to four accused and ordered them to deposit Rs200,000 (each) as surety.

Land grabber indicted

An accountability court (AC) indicted Shakir Langra and 13 former officers of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) in an illegal occupation of lands case.

Shakir Langara a political activist was said to have occupied welfare plots along with the KDA officers, and accused of disposing them of through ‘China-cutting’.

The illegal occupation and sale of the plots was said to have caused a loss of around Rs168m to the national exchequer.

However, all the accused pleaded not guilty; the court fixed April 7 to hear the prosecution witnesses in the reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau.