Arrest warrants out for former lawmakers over dual nationality

A court on Saturday issued arrest warrants for former MPA Nadia Gabol and ex-MNA Farahnaz Ispahani after they did not show up at the hearing of the dual citizenships case.

The District and Sessions Judge (South) ordered the relevant authorities to arrest the two women and produce them before the court on September 1.

The court has been issuing notices to the two women but they did not appear before the court for a long time.

The attorney for Ispahani said his ailing client was out of the country for medical treatment.

Public prosecutor Advocate Maimoona argued that the two accused were adopting delaying tactics in order to avoid indictment.

Earlier on July 6, the court had rejected the acquittal pleas filed by Gabol and Ispahani.

The two women are facing a criminal case. They have stated that it was fair to acquit them from the charges since it had not been proved in the court that they had dual citizenships. They maintained that they did not have nationality of any other country except Pakistan.

It may be mentioned here that former federal minister and Pakistan Peoples Party leader Rehman Malik was also tried in this case but he was acquitted under Section 265-K after the conclusion of the trial.

The memberships of Nadia Gabol and Farahnaz Ispahani were suspended by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in July 2012.

Nadia Gabol served as the provincial minister for human rights after she was elected as an Mutthida Qaumi Movement candidate. Later she joined the PPP and became advisor to the chief minister.

In its verdict on the dual nationality case, the apex court had disqualified 11 representatives, including Gabol and Ispahani, from being members of the Sindh Assembly and the National Assembly, respectively.

 

MQM activists case 

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) put off the hearing against 26 Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) until Aug 26 in cases pertaining to possession of illegal arms.

The cases against MQM workers are heard in a court housed at the central prison. However, the hearing was adjourned on Saturday as the judge concerned was on leave.

Faisal alias Faisal Mota, who has been awarded death punishment by an ATC in the Wali Babar murder case, Ubaid alias Ubaid K2, Amir alias Amir Sarphata, Amir Taili and others were at attendance.

These 26 workers were arrested on March 11, 2015 when the Rangers had raided the MQM headquarters Nine Zero and other adjoining areas. The court has already passed an order to amalgamate around 52 cases and treat it as a major case on the request of Advocate Muhammad Jeewani, who is representing the party activists.

He had prayed to the court to gather all cases as one major case due to the similar nature of the cases.

He also requested the court to accept an amended charge sheet in these cases against Ubaid K2, Amir Sarphta, Faisal Motta, Shabbir Ahmed alias Farhan Mullah and other workers who are facing illegal arms and other cases. The court had granted the plea and accepted an amended charge sheet.

These accused were arrested on March 11, 2015 when the Rangers had raided the MQM headquarters Nine Zero and other adjoining areas and arrested MQM leader Amir Khan along with dozens of others.

Amir Khan was later remanded to the police after the expiry of 90 days. A case of providing shelter to alleged criminals and outlaws affiliated with the MQM was registered against Khan and others.