Daily Times

KARACHI: After the failure of police to nab absconding Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar and Amir Khan despite its repeated orders, an anti-terrorism court asked the Sindh Rangers to arrest and produce the two before it.

The ATC-II judge issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of MQM-P convener Farooq Sattar and senior deputy convener Amir Khan, directing the Rangers director general to ensure their arrest and presence on the next hearing.

Fuming at the investigation officer for failing to arrest the absconding accused, the court asked the DG rangers to ensure compliance of its orders without fail. The hearing was put off till May 31.

Earlier, the court had declared Altaf Hussain, Aslam Khan, Zakir Qureshi and five others proclaimed offenders and attach their properties after failure of the police to execute warrants against them.

At the outset, IO submitted an application requesting the judge to take action against Altaf Hussain, Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan under Section 87 (proclamation for persons absconding) and 88 (attachment of property of person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Sattar was arrested on Friday night and released after a brief detention on reportedly high-level political intervention. Police said he was arrested in connection with cases related to anti-state and hate speech of MQM founder on Aug 22nd, that triggered a violent protest and attack on a media house.

After his release, the Sindh chief minister’s spokesman had said that Sattar escaped when a police team tried to arrest him following his arrest warrants issued by court. The two main cases regarding incendiary speech and subsequent violence on Aug 22, last year, were lodged at the Artillery Maidan police station.

The cases were lodged under Sections 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), 121-A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 121), 123-A (condemnation of the creation of the state and advocacy of abolition of its sovereignty), 124-A (sedition) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 25 of Telegraph Act read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Earlier, the court had directed the IO to approach the interior ministry to get the red warrants issued for the arrest of Altaf Hussain for delivering anti-state speech. The investigating officer informed the judge that the warrants could not be executed against Hussain as he was living in London. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till April 6th .