ATC issues arrest warrants for senior MQM leaders

The Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) Wednesday issued perpetual warrants for the arrest of a number of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders in connection with cases pertaining to the incendiary speeches given by MQM founder Altaf Hussain.

The court gave the order to arrest Altaf, Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, as well as seven other members.

On August 22, 2016, Altaf gave a televised speech to party workers from London which sparked violent protests, arson attacks and ransacking of media houses.

Meanwhile, the ATC has given the directives to SSP Investigation South Adeel Hussain Chandio to produce Sattar and Khan in the next court hearing which is scheduled for April 6.

The directives had been given yesterday (Tuesday), however, the warrants for their arrest were given today (Wednesday) by the court.

On March 18, police detained Sattar for an hour during the wee hours of the morning.

Sattar was picked up in a raid near the PAF Museum on Shahrah-e-Faisal, MQM spokesperson Aminul Haq claimed.

Sattar’s coordinator Kashif also claimed that Sattar was taken to a police station in Lyari.

After being released from police custody, Sattar, while addressing a press briefing, said, “I was returning after attending a wedding when the police took me into custody. I was released after an hour of questioning.”

On Friday, the ATC had issued the non-bailable arrest warrants for Sattar and other MQM leaders as they are wanted in more than a dozen cases.

It is pertinent to mention that most of the cases against MQM leaders are related to the alleged hate speeches by Altaf given over the past two years.

Source: The Express Tribune