Non-bailable warrant issued for Wasim Akhtar in terrorist treatment case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) for former Karachi mayor and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Wasim Akhtar for his failure to appear in a case pertaining to medical treatment of terrorists.

Akhtar is one of the nominated suspects in the trial against Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Hussain who has been accused of providing medical treatment to terrorists belonging to the MQM and banned militant outfits.

The former mayor did not appear before the court and filed application for exemption from appearance. The ATC presiding officer dismissed the application and issued an NBW for Akhtar.

The investigation officer of the case was directed to produce Akhtar before the court after arresting him.

Dr Asim, who is the owner of the Ziauddin Hospitals, was booked with Akhtar, Pak Sarzameen Party leader Anis Kaimkhani, former MQM minister Rauf Siddiqui, Pasban General Secretary Usman Moazzam and Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Qadir Patel for allegedly providing shelter to terrorists. The witness, a former employee of the hospital, conceded the case of prosecution to the extent that activists belonging to the political parties of the above-mentioned leaders were treated on a discount at the health facilities owned by Dr Asim on his instructions.

According to the prosecution, terrorists belonging to these political parties were provided shelter and treatment at the Ziauddin Hospitals in North Nazimabad and Clifton. It added that these terrorists were injured either in clashes or while trying to escape from law enforcement agencies.

Dr Asim was arrested by the Rangers in August 2015 at his office. He was then serving as the Sindh Higher Education Commission chairman. He was taken into 90-day preventive detention and later booked in a case. He is currently on bail.

All the accused were indicted in August, 2017. They pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case, which has been on the evidence state since then.

The case was formed in November 2015 after the Rangers handed over Dr Asim to the North Nazimabad police following a preventive detention of three months under the Section 11-EEEE of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The case against Dr Asim and others has seen many dramatic turns. In December 2015, the investigation officer, DSP Altaf Hussain, had released him for 'lack of sufficient evidence'. However, then administrative judge of the ATCs had rejected the DSP’s report and sent the case to ATC-II for trial after taking cognisance of the case. The ATC administrative judge had observed that 'prima facie sufficient incriminating evidence was available against him and others.'