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KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Friday came down hard on an investigating officer for failing to arrest four suspects absconding in a case pertaining to violent riots and terrorism on May 12, 2007.
Police booked suspects Abdul Bari Kakar, Habibullah, Mushtaq and Wakeel Khan among 400 to 500 unidentified activists, said to be associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami, for their alleged involvement in violent riots and terrorist acts during the May 12 chaos in 2007.
On Friday, the matter was fixed before the ATC-II judge for filing of report regarding execution of non-bailable warrants issued by the court for arrest of the absconding suspects in the present case.
However, the IO informed the judge that he was still tracing the absconding suspects and requested for more time to do so.
The judge severely censured the IO and observed that the suspects were not arrested despite the fact that time had been granted on several occasions.
The judge directed the IO to ensure arrest of the suspects and produce them before the court on next date and fixed the matter on Jan 1.
In September, the IO filed a charge-sheet nominating Abdul Bari Kakar, Habibullah, Mushtaq and Wakeel Khan along with 400-500 activists of the PPP, ANP and JI for allegedly resorting to violence and terrorism on the day of the incident.
Around 50 people were killed and over 100 wounded in attacks on rallies organised by members of political parties and the legal fraternity who had attempted to receive the then deposed chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, at the Karachi airport ahead of a lawyers’ gathering.
Justice Chaudhry was forced to fly back to Islamabad after having been restricted to the airport for nine hours.
The Karachi mayor, Umair Siddiqui, Mohammad Nasir, Nasir Zia along with several activists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have already been charged for rioting, arson attacks and terrorism in four identical cases registered at the Airport police station on May 12.
Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2019
