Court permits MQM’s Amir Khan to perform Hajj

Karachi
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday granted Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) senior leader Amir Khan the permission to leave for Saudia Arabia to perform Hajj; however, two surety bonds, each worth Rs1 million, were directed to be submitted to the court.
In case of Khan’s failure to return to Pakistan within a month, the amount would be confiscated.
The ATC (II) while hearing his plea, seeking permission
to perform Hajj and exemption from appearing in
court, on August 15 had after hearing arguments of the concerned attorneys and submission of Khan’s Hajj documents had reserved its ruling for August 17.
Counsel for Rangers, Rana Khalid, had opposed Khan’s plea stating that the trial court could not allow the applicant to travel abroad since he was booked for serious offences. He claimed the court had earlier granted him bail without bringing into consideration police documents.
He further claimed that the applicant could not be allowed to travel abroad without acquiring permission from the interior ministry and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Khan, arrested during a raid at Nine Zero on March 11, was charged with cases pertaining to facilitating target killers and other heinous crimes following the expiration of his 90-day preventive detention. He was, however, later granted bail by an ATC.

Airport attack case
One of the investigators of the Karachi Airport Attack case, Sub Inspector Asif Tanoli while recoding his statement in front of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday, informed that two suspects had taken part in suicidal attacks.
The ATC (I) headed by Bashir Ahmed Khoso adjourned the hearing of the case till August 31.
Eight absconding accused, including banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah and spokesman Shahidullah Shahid have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case whereas three accused Sarmad Siddiqui, Nadeem alias Burger and Asif Zaheer were currently in detention.
One of the accused, Master Essa, was freed by the police due to lack of evidence of his involvement in the case.
As many as 28 persons, including personnel of the Airport Security Force (ASF) and 10 militants were killed in the attack which occurred on June 8, 2014.
The TTP and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (UMI) had claimed the responsibility for the attack.