KARACHI: The administrative judge of anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) on Saturday has remanded Pakistan Peoples Party ‘s late chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s cousin and former advisor, Mushtaq Bhutto to judicial custody in explosives and illicit weapons cases.
Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police produced Mushtaq before the judge, informing him that he was arrested on July 19 for possessing a pistol without license and an Awan bomb.
On the other hand the suspect’s lawyer Amir Raza Naqvi told the court that Bhutto was being politically victimized as he belonged to PPP. He said that his client was arrested four days ago by the Rangers which later handed him over to police.
Naqvi added that the cases have been lodged against Bhutto with malafide intentions.
While sending Bhutto to prison on judicial remand, the judge directed the police to submit investigation report on the next hearing.
The cases were registered under section 23(1)a of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013, section 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act, 1908, read with section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Mushtaq was arrested in a raid conducted by the law-enforcement agencies in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
This is the second time that Mushtaq has been detained by the law-enforcement agencies. He was also arrested in November 2015.
Mushtaq is a resident of Basera Apartments in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and has been inactive in the party since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Published in Daily Times, July 23rd , 2017.