KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday cancelled the bail of a Muttahida Qaumi Move­ment leader over his inappropriate behaviour with the judge, said court staff and lawyers.

Senior MQM leaders including Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Abdul Qadir Khanzada, Qamar Man­soor, Gulfaraz Kha­ttak, Kanwar Naveed along with nearly 200 party workers are facing trial in a case related to a violent protest, arson attack and ransacking of media houses following an incendiary speech of MQM founder Altaf Hussain in 2016.

They are also facing trial in another case pertaining to incendiary speech of Altaf Hussain outside the Karachi Press Club on Aug 22, 2016.

On Saturday, the matter came up before the judge of the ATC-II for cross-examination of a prosecution witness. MQM leaders appeared in court on bail.

The witness, Muhammad Aslam, said to be the security in charge of a private news channel, appeared for his cross-examination by the defence counsel for the accused.

The court staffers and lawyers said that during the proceedings MQM leader Gulfaraz Khattak indulged in an argument with the judge and also exchanged words with her.

The judge took serious exception to his behaviour and cancelled his bail granted earlier in both the cases. Subsequently, the police arrested him and shifted him to the Boat Basin police station.

Khattak is also serving as an assistant attorney general for the federal government in Sindh.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2021