KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday recorded the statement of a complainant against Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders in a case pertaining to MQM founder Altaf Hussain’s Aug 22, 2016 controversial speech.

Police officer Abdul Ghaffar Sindhu had lodged an FIR against the then MQM leadership after Mr Hussain’s incendiary speech over telephone during a protest campaign outside the Karachi Press Club.

London-based Hussain had made controversial remarks about the country and allegedly incited his workers to resort to violence during a protest demonstration against a ban on his media appearances.

One person was killed, several were injured, and a police mobile and motorcycle were set on fire allegedly by charged protesters. Soon after, a crackdown was launched by authorities against the party.

MQM-P senior deputy convener Amir Khan, Orga­nisation Restoration Comm­ittee chief Farooq Sattar, MQM’s former spokesperson Qamar Mansoor, former deputy convener Shahid Pasha and legal wing leader Gulfaraz Khattak and others have been booked for abetment.

At the outset, the ATC judge heard the cross-examination by the defence on the complainant.

The defence asserted that implication of their clients in the case was politically motivated. The police had booked over 1,500 people in the case and around 60 were arrested.

The court after recording the proceedings adjourned the hearing till Feb 1 with a direction to the investigation officer to present other witnesses on the next date.

The court had previously expressed displeasure over police performance, observing that it was delaying the case.

A case was registered at the Artillery Maidan police station and Mr Hussain had been declared proclaimed offender in the case.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2020