KARACHI: An accountability court on Friday directed the investigating officer to collect evidence regarding whereabouts of two builders, who were absconding in a case pertaining to alleged illegal amalgamation of prime commercial land and its transfer to Bahria Town for a high-rise building.

Former Karachi mayor and Pak Sarzameen Party chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal, former district coordination officer of Karachi Fazlur Rehman, executive district officer Iftikhar Kaimkhani and four others are facing trial in the case.

On Friday, the matter came up before the administrative judge Farid Anwar Qazi, when the former mayor and others appeared before the court on bail.

However, two nominated suspects, Zain Malik, son-in-law of real estate tycoon Malik Riaz, and Mohammad Yaqoob, associated with M/s DJ Builders and Developers, were no-shows.

IO Abdul Fateh filed a compliance report regarding execution of the non-bailable warrants issued by the court on the last date for arrest of both the builders.

The report mentioned that Zain Malik was said to be under treatment in London while M. Yaqoob was also abroad, therefore, the arrest warrants could not be served on them.

The judge directed the IO to collect travel history of both the absconding suspects and record statement of their neighbours regarding whereabouts of both men so that the process of their proclamation and attachment of properties, under sections 87 and 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code, could be initiated to bifurcate their cases from the main case and initiate trial against other suspects.

The hearing was adjourned till Feb 12.

Whereabouts of absconders sought

The same court, meanwhile, also directed an IO to collect evidence regarding whereabouts of two suspects absconding in an alleged Rs2.27 billion assets accumulation case against the former provincial information minister Sharjeel Memon.

Memon, a former Pakistan Peoples Party minister, his mother Zeenat Inam Memon, wife Sadaf Sharjeel along with nine others have been booked in a second reference of alleged accumulation of assets worth over Rs2.27bn beyond their known sources of income.

On Friday, the matter came up before the administrative judge Farid Anwar Qazi, who directed the NAB IO Mohammad Umair to collect travel history and record statement of neighbours of both fleeing men — Saifullah Lohar and Kamran Gul — to complete the process of their proclamation and attachment of properties under sections 87 and 88 of the CrPC to bifurcate their case and initiate trial against other suspects in the present case.

The hearing was adjourned till Jan 30.

MQM leader’s case

An antiterrorism court on Friday summoned prosecution witnesses in a case pertaining to alleged assassination bid on Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan.

The Counter-Terrorism Department booked seven absconding suspects — including Abdul Karim Sarosh Siddiqui, Hafiz Mohammad Shoaib Jamal, alias Amir; Mohammad Arsalan, alias Jumran; Hafiz Sheharyar Uddin, alias Sherry; Danish Rashid, alias Mansoor; Mohammad Talha and Muzzamil — said to be associated with the banned outfit Ansarul Shariah Pakistan for their alleged involvement in the armed attack on the MQM leader.

Mr Hasan remained unhurt while his police guard and a teenage boy were killed when the assailants clad in police uniforms opened fire after the former emerged from a mosque after offering Eid prayers in Sept 2017.

On Friday, the matter came up before the ATC-XI judge when the state prosecutor produced a prosecution witness to record his statement.

The witness, who was the investigating officer of the case, appeared along with relevant documents and other material evidence.

After recording his testimony, the judge fixed the matter for Jan 24 directing the IO to produce other prosecution witnesses in the present case and adjourned the hearing.

It may be recalled that in the charge sheet, the IO had declared eight nominated suspects as absconders.

The CTD claimed that suspect Abdul Karim Sarosh Siddiqui, who was said to be a former student of the applied physics department at University of Karachi, had allegedly masterminded the assassination attempt on the MQM leader.

It added that another suspect, later identified as Hassaan, was said to be a lab technician in the Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), who was later killed in an alleged shoot-out.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2020