ATC allows Saleem Shahzad to travel abroad for medical treatment

Anti-terrorism court (ATC) conducting a terrorism trial against former Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Saleem Shahzad granted him permission on Wednesday to go abroad for one month for medical treatment.

The court directed ailing Shahzad to deposit a personal surety bond of Rs2 milion as security deposit before leaving for the UK.

In his application, he said he wanted to go abroad for medical treatment as he was seriously ill due to a cancer disease.

Shahzad, a Pakistan-born British national, had gone to London in 1992 and got citizenship as an exiled leader of his party. However, he later quit the party. 

Shahzad was wanted in a number of cases, the most important being the one where he was alleged to have facilitated the medical treatment of terrorists and arranged shelter for them. Dr Asim Hussain and several other suspects are also standing the trial over similar chargers. Previously, another case pertaining to passport forgery was also registered against him.  He was released from the Karachi Central Jail on June 2, months after he was taken into custody at the Jinnah International Airport on February 6 when he returned from London ending a self-imposed exile.

After arriving in Karachi, Shahzad had said that he had come to play an active role in the politics of Karachi. He said that whatever happened in the past, he was not ashamed of it.

Disclosing that he was a patient of cancer and his treatment was ongoing, Shahzad had said that he would face all cases against him. 

On Tuesday, he was indicted by the courts of two additional district and sessions judges (East) in cases pertaining to charges of ransacking and rioting. 

Shahzad pleaded not guilty in both cases registered at two police stations in Malir. The judges then ordered the prosecution to produce witnesses and have their statements recorded.

In the case regarding Shahzad setting a house in Landhi on fire, the witness declined to identify him as an attacker, while two more witnesses claimed they had never seen him anywhere before in their lives.