KARACHI: The Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) moved on Tuesday the Sindh High Court against the release of PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain by police in a criminal case pertaining to “treatment and harbouring of terrorists” at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital “at the behest of leaders of PPP and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement”.

An officer of the paramilitary force filed a constitutional petition seeking action against the investigation officer of the case, DSP Altaf Hussain, who had released Dr Hussain under Section 497 (II) of the Criminal Procedure Code as “he had found no terror-related evidence” against him.

The Rangers’ petition said that enough evidence existed against Dr Hussain to charge him for the offences mentioned in the FIR.

The petitioner alleged that the investigation officer deliberately omitted the sections of anti-terrorism laws and destroyed the evidence against Dr Hussain.

He requested the court to take action against DSP Altaf Hussain for “spoiling the case of prosecution against the accused person”.

DSP Hussain had informed an anti-terrorism court that the police had released the PPP leader as there was no evidence available on record against him.

However, the Rangers’ prosecutor present in the ATC told the judge that there was sufficient evidence against Dr Hussain and the investigation officer did consult the Rangers during investigations even though the case was initiated by the paramilitary force.

After the Rangers’ staunch opposition to the police stance, the ATC had ordered the police IO to submit a report within 10 days about why no charges could be established against Dr Hussain under the CrPC.

Following the end of his 90-day preventive detention on Nov 25, the Rangers had handed over Dr Hussain to police after lodging a case against him for allegedly treating and harbouring terrorists at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital at the behest of PPP and MQM leaders.

Dr Hussain, the chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, was arrested on Aug 26.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2015