Daily Times

KARACHI: A few days after the Anti-Terrorism Court tasked Rangers to arrest Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Chief  Dr Farooq Sattar and senior deputy convener Amir Khan, both the leaders approached the Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday.

The accused appeared before the court to avoid their possible arrest in 31 and four hate speech cases respectively including August 22, 2016 treason, attacking private news channels and riot case.Sattar and Khan represented by Barrister Farogh Nasim filed the pleas requesting the court to grant them protective

Sattar and Khan represented by Barrister Farogh Nasim filed the pleas requesting the court to grant them protective bails as several cases have been lodged against them for allegedly listening and arranging hate speeches of MQM founder Altaf Hussain.While approving MQM leaders plea, a division bench, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, granted one-month protective bail to them subject to Sattar furnishing a surety of Rs 50,000 in each case.

While approving MQM leaders plea, a division bench, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, granted one-month protective bail to them subject to Sattar furnishing a surety of Rs 50,000 in each case.

The same bench approved 10 days protective bail for Khan in four cases against surety of 50,000 in each. The court also directed both the leaders to surrender before the trial court.

Dr Farooq Sattar was nominated in as many as 31 cases whereas Khan was booked in four identical cases relating to hate speeches of their ex-chief who had criticised military establishment numerous times after the initiation of Karachi operation.

Both the leaders were also booked in the case registered at Artillery Maidan police station for allegedly listening and arranging Altaf’s anti-state speech in August last year.The MQM founder had criticised the national security agencies and on his provocation, the workers also raised anti-Pakistan slogans outside Karachi Press Club (KPC) where the party had staged a hunger strike for recovery of its missing activists on Aug 22.

The MQM founder had criticised the national security agencies and on his provocation, the workers also raised anti-Pakistan slogans outside Karachi Press Club (KPC) where the party had staged a hunger strike for recovery of its missing activists on Aug 22.

The suspects had also attacked private news channels and rioted near Fawara Chowk that lead at least one person to death and others to injuries in the riots.Earlier on May 16, the ATC had directed the director-general Sindh Rangers major general Muhammad Saeed to arrest Sattar and Khan and present them in court by the next hearing. The ATC had passed these directives after the police had failed to arrest to MQM-P convener and second-in-command despite the

Earlier on May 16, the ATC had directed the director-general Sindh Rangers major general Muhammad Saeed to arrest Sattar and Khan and present them in court by the next hearing. The ATC had passed these directives after the police had failed to arrest to MQM-P convener and second-in-command despite the

Earlier on May 16, the ATC had directed the director-general Sindh Rangers major general Muhammad Saeed to arrest Sattar and Khan and present them in court by the next hearing. The ATC had passed these directives after the police had failed to arrest to MQM-P convener and second-in-command despite the court’s numerous orders.

The investigators maintained that they had tried their level best to nab MQM-P leaders but were unable to do so, saying that Sattar and Amir were untraceable.