16 absconders in May 12 case declared POs

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) hearing six cases pertaining to the May 12, 2007 carnage on Wednesday issued orders to declare 16 absconding accused as proclaimed offenders.

As many as 20 Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers were present in the court. Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar is also one of the accused but he was not in attendance as his request for exemption from court appearance due to official engagements had already been approved.

The court has now fixed February 3 as the next date of hearing, while directing the investigation officer (IO) to submit a report of the cases under the light of fresh directives of the court that ordered declaring the absconding accused proclaimed offenders.

Dozens of people were killed on May 12, 2007 in different parts of the city and the then Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry was restrained to enter the city to address the city lawyers. The report alleged that the then chief justice was stopped to enter the city and to address the city lawyers and a number of people were killed and injured by the accused.

MQM activists indicted

An ATC on Wednesday indicted MQM activists accused of distributing CDs of a provocative speech of party founder Altaf Hussain that targeted the security institutions and raised slogans against the integrity of the state and the country. Including MQM lawmaker Shirza Whaeed, seven accused were present in the court.

The court indicted Shiraz Waheed, Danish, Saeed, Nadeem, Ali Hassan, Mubeen and Shamshad under an amended charge sheet. Previously, Shirza Waheed was the sole accused in this case but later several others were included in the investigation and made co-accused.