KARACHI: An antiterrorism court reserved on Wednesday its order on a bail application of Pak Sarzameen Party president Anis Kaimkhani till Aug 3 and fixed a similar plea of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rauf Siddiqui for hearing on Thursday in a case of providing treatment to alleged terrorists at the hospitals of former minister Dr Asim Hussain.

Both the leaders with Waseem Akhtar of the MQM and Qadir Patel of the PPP landed in prison after the court dismissed their pre-arrest bail applications on July 19.

The PSP president and Mr Siddiqui again moved the trial court (ATC-II) through their counsel for bail after the Sindh High Court had asked one of them to first approach the trial court for bail.

The politicians in question have been booked for allegedly asking Dr Asim, who runs Ziauddin Hospital, to provide treatment and shelter to the suspected terrorists, militants and gangsters at his private health facilities.

The lawyer for Mr Kaimkhani argued that the allegations against his client were baseless as he never got in touch with Dr Asim for the reason he was booked.

He further contended that the applicant was living abroad when the alleged offence took place, adding that he left for Dubai around three years back and worked there after parting ways with the MQM. However, the lawyer of the Rangers, the complainant in the case, opposed the bail application and asserted that the allegations against the applicant were corroborated with the documents seized from the hospitals during the investigations as well as the statements of witnesses.

After hearing both sides, the ATC-II judge reserved her order on the bail application till Aug 3.

Meanwhile, the same court fixed the bail application of Rauf Siddiqui for Thursday to hear arguments while an application of Mr Akhtar seeking better facilities in prison will also be taken up for hearing on the day.

Waseem Akhtar’s bail pleas

An ATC issued on Thursday notices to the prosecution on three bail applications of the MQM’s mayoral candidate in as many cases.

Mr Akhtar, who was taken in custody from prison by police in some other cases on July 20, was remanded to prison on Tuesday in around 10 other cases and his counsel moved applications in three such cases lodged this year at the Brigade, Sachal and Malir City police stations for listening to his party chief’s speeches allegedly criticising the military establishment and intending to insult the modesty of women.

ATC-I judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso issued notices to the prosecutor and police for Aug 3 on the bail applications for arguments.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2016

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