KARACHI, July 7: The additional district and sessions judge, South, Munawwar Sultana, issued on Friday non-bailable warrants for the arrest of former Sindh police chief Rana Maqbool Ahmed, former city police chief Farooq Amin Qureshi and others in a case pertaining to an attempt on the life of Asif Ali Zardari.

The judge ordered the police to arrest the former IGP, former DIG, former chief of defunct Ehtesab Cell, Saifur Rehman, his brother Mujeebur Rehman and SP Najaf Mirza, who were booked by the Artillery Maidan police in the case on the order of the court.The court had ordered registration of a case against them on an application filed by Mr Zardari, who alleged that an attempt was made on his life on the orders of the accused when he was in the police custody for interrogation in the Justice Nizam murder case.

The judge ordered the police to produce the accused before the court on July 15.

The judge also ordered the investigation officer, Mohammed Sarwer Khan, to submit the final charge-sheet till the next date of hearing.

Mr Zardari was initially arrested in November 1996 immediately after the dismissal of his wife’s government and was detained at Sehala Rest House under Maintenance of Public Order.

His detention under MPO was challenged by Benazir Bhutto in the Lahore High Court and the advocate general of Punjab stated in the court that the detention orders had been withdrawn.

However, on the same day the husband of the former prime minister was shifted to Karachi in the evening and his detention was shown under MPO. Again the said order was challenged in the Sindh High Court through a constitutional petition which was allowed by the SHC on Dec 18, 1996.

Mr Zardari’s release was shown on Dec 19, 1996, but he was arrested in the Mir Murtaza Bhutto murder case from the gate of Landhi jail. He alleged that he was then taken to the Artillery Maidan police station where he was tortured for five days and again sent to Landhi jail.