KARACHI: An antiterrorism court (ATC) has declared London-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain and a woman member of his party proclaimed offenders for allegedly running a ‘hitmen’ squad from the United State to assassinate law enforcers and important personalities in Pakistan.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had booked Mr Hussain, US-based Syeda Kehkashan Arif aka Kehkashan Haider, Muhammad Shoaib, Shahid Aziz, Muhammad Asif Raees, Muhammad Chand aka Chandu Mamu, Muhammad Yasmeen aka Yaseen and Muhammad Zafar aka Phool Wala in a cyber terrorism and money laundering case.

When the matter came up before the ATC-XVI judge, the investigating officer (IO) of the case submitted a report regarding completion of the process of proclamation and attachment of the properties of suspects.

In the report, the IO stated that the process of proclamation and attachment of properties of Mr Hussain, Khalid and Ms Haider had been completed.

The judge declared the MQM chief along with his three alleged absconding accomplices as proclaimed offenders.

The judge had bifurcated their case and summoned the prosecution witnesses for recording their testimonies against held accused Shoaib, Aziz, Raees, Chand, Yameen and Zafar on the next date of hearing.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2021