Farooq Sattar indicted in 31-year-old case of Loudspeaker Act violation

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar was indicted by a city court in a 31-year-old case pertaining to violation of the Loudspeaker Act on Wednesday. Sattar pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Separately, Sattar, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Haider Abbas Rizvi and other MQM leaders were indicted by a city court in a 2015 case pertaining to Loudspeaker Act violation. All accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The first case was registered after a party workers’ gathering in PIB Colony on June 27, 1987. According to the FIR, MQM leader Mohammad Shahid organised a programme wherein MQM chief Altaf Hussain, general secretary Azeem Tariq and Farooq Sattar were present along with 600-700 participants.

“Altaf Hussain criticised an Urdu newspaper and announced to boycott the publication over the loudspeaker,” stated the FIR, adding it was seen that armed bodyguards were also present in the meeting.

A case under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Sections 2/3 of the Loudspeaker Act read with Section 13-D of the Arms Ordinance was registered at the New Town police station.

Sattar had in June 2018 obtained interim bail from a district court in the case.

The second case was registered against nine MQM leaders in 2015 after the party held a protest rally against the arrests of workers and Rangers raids at party offices. The rally began at Karachi’s Liaquatabad area and was to culminate at the Rangers Headquarters located near Sindh Assembly, but police stopped the participants near Numaish Chowrangi.

Cases were registered against Sattar, Rizvi, Nasreen Jalil, Wasay Jalil, Faisal Sabzwari, Siddiqui, Akhtar and others for violation of the Loudspeaker Act and Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and ‘harassing commuters’ during the rally.

The FIR stated that 1,500 to 2,000 workers of the MQM gathered at MA Jinnah Road to protest against the government, during which the Loudspeaker Act was violated as party leaders made speeches.

Police also booked the MQM leaders for creating hurdles for the general public through blocking roads. The case was registered under section 147/149/341/ Sindh Sound System section 6/7.

Source: Dawn News