KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Tuesday granted around two weeks to an investigating officer for arresting several political activists allegedly absconding in a case pertaining to violent riots and terrorism on May 12, 2007.

Police have booked suspects Abdul Bari Kakar, Habibullah, Mushtaq and Wakeel Khan besides 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 the violent riots and terrorist acts during the May 12 chaos in 2007.

On Tuesday, the matter came up before the ATC-II judge for filing a report regarding the execution of non-bailable warrants issued by the court for the arrest of the absconding suspects in the present case.

However, the IO informed the judge that he was still tracing the absconding suspects and sought more time to enable him to arrest and produce them before the court.

The judge gave him till Jan 31 to arrest the absconders and produce them before the court on the next date and adjourned the hearing.

In September, the IO filed a charge sheet nominating Abdul Bari Kakar, Habibullah, Mushtaq and Wakeel Khan 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 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.

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, Umair Siddiqui, Mohammad Nasir and Nasir Zia with several activists belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have already been charged with rioting, arson attacks and terrorism in four identical cases registered at the Airport police station on May 12.

TV anchor murder case

A sessions court on Tuesday once again deferred indictment of two detained brothers in a case pertaining to the murder of TV anchor Mureed Abbas and another man over alleged dispute involving shady investments worth billions of rupees.

Police have booked and detained the alleged prime suspect Atif Zaman and his brother Adil Zaman for killing his two business partners Mureed Abbas and Khizar Hayat in Khayaban-i-Bukhari, DHA, over a financial dispute, on July 9, 2019.

On Tuesday, the additional district and sessions judge (South), Faraz Ahmed Chandio, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, took up the matter to frame the charge against Atif and Adil, when they were produced from prison.

The state prosecutor, the counsel for the victims’ legal heirs and suspect Adil Zaman were present. However, Advocate Fareed Ahmed Dayo, defence counsel for Atif Zaman, failed to appear before the court.

The judge deferred indictment of the suspects and directed Atif to engage a defence counsel or the court would provide him a counsel on state expense.

The judge fixed the matter on Jan 25 ordering the presence of the suspects and their counsel on the next date.

The court also sought a report from the medical officer of the Central Prison Karachi on the health of Atif Zaman, who was reportedly unwell.

Adil’s bail plea rejected

The judge heard arguments from both sides on an application moved by Adil Zaman seeking his release on bail.

He moved the application through Advocate Zareen Satti, who pleaded to the judge to order the release of her client on bail.

On the other hand, Advocate Jibran Nasir for complainant Zara Abbas opposed the bail plea contending that a pistol used in the alleged crime belonged to applicant Adil Zaman and was also licensed in his name.

The counsel further contended that the eyewitnesses had also identified, during an identification parade before a judicial magistrate, the co-accused who was present during the commissioning of both the murders. The court was asked to dismiss his bail plea.

In the meanwhile, the court also partially heard arguments from the counsel for the parties on an application moved by a private bank seeking release of a car it had leased to Atif Zaman. The police had confiscated it as case property alleging that the suspect used the vehicle in the commissioning of the crime.

Advocate Mohammad Hassan Wasim Ursani, who represented a private bank, had moved an application under Section 516-A read with Section 523 of the Criminal Procedure Code, stating that the vehicle was leased out to Adil Zaman and the same was confiscated by the police for allegedly being used in the crime.

The judge asked the counsel for the parties to advance further arguments on the plea on the next date. He noted that the IO was on the previous hearing told to submit a report about the vehicle, but no such report had been filed and directed him to do so on the next date.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2020