Daily Times

KARACHI: A special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC), on Saturday, indicted Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar in a case pertaining to the violence and carnage which took place on May 12, 2007.

The ATC also heard four similar cases pertaining to the May 12 riots. During the hearing, other suspects in the reference faced prosecution. However, all the suspects, including the Karachi mayor rejected the charges.

The court then suspended the hearing till October 27 and directed the witnesses to appear in the next hearing.

Previously, on September 29, Sindh government also constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the May 12 mayhem that claimed the lives of several people in 2007. The Sindh High Court (SHC) had ordered the formation of a JIT on September 11. As per details, the team is headed by Karachi police chief Amir Sheikh. The rest of the team comprises of Special Branch deputy inspector general (DIG), Counter-Terrorism Department DIG, joint director of Intelligence Bureau and representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Pakistan Rangers. The constituted team was asked to submit its report to SHC and Sindh Home Department within two weeks.

While talking to media outside the ATC, Mayor Waseem Akhtar said that all responsible for the May 12 tragedy should be identified and held accountable for their actions.

Karachi’s Shahrah-e-Faisal turned into a battlefield after clashes erupted between political workers on May 12, 2007. At least 50 people were killed and over 150 injured in the clashes that broke out between rival political groups on the arrival of the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Rallies led by different political parties and lawyers were attacked during the riots.

Former CJP had arrived in the metropolis to address a lawyers’ convention at Sindh High Court (SHC). CJP returned to Islamabad without addressing the lawyers due to clashes that had erupted in the city.

Following the riots, Waseem Akhtar who was serving as the adviser to Sindh chief minister (CM) on Home Affairs back then claimed that CJP Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was to blame for the breakdown of law and order situation in the city.

Published in Daily Times, October 7^th 2018.