KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday remanded MNA Ali Wazir and three other leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) in police custody in a case pertaining to allegedly using provocative language against state institution during a rally in Karachi.

Police booked and arrested MNA Wazir, Noor Tareen, Sher Ayub Hussain and Basirullah for allegedly using defamatory, provocative and undesirable language against state institutions and the army during a rally in Sohrab Goth on Dec 9.

However, the PTM lawmaker was arrested in Peshawar in connection with the case on a request of the Sindh police and he was flown to Karachi on Friday.

On Saturday, the investigating officer produced the detained PTM lawmaker and other leaders before the administrative judge of the ATCs to seek their physical remand for interrogation and investigation.

ATC indicts MQM leaders, activists in 23 cases for facilitating Altaf’s incendiary speech

The IO informed the court that the detained PTM lawmaker and others had organised a rally without seeking prior permission from the authorities and also delivered speeches using provocative language against state institutions including the army, police and Rangers.

He said that the custody of the suspects was required for interrogation to complete investigation and other legal formalities. He requested the judge to grant physical remand of the suspects in police custody till Jan 17.

However, the judge remanded them in police custody till Dec 30 with a direction to the IO to produce them on the next date along with an investigation report.

A case was registered under relevant sections of the law at the Sohrab Goth police station.

MQM leaders indicted

An antiterrorism court on Saturday indicted several leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in 23 identical cases pertaining to facilitating an alleged incendiary speech delivered by party’s London-based founder Altaf Hussain in Karachi in 2015.

Dr Farooq Sattar, former Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar, Amir Khan, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Rauf Siddiqui, Rashid Godil, Khawaja Izharul Hasan, Gul Faraz Khattak, Salman Mujahid, Abdul Qadir Khanzada, Khushbakht Shujaat, Shahid Pasha, Qamar Mansoor and Kanwar Naveed along with nearly 200 party workers have been booked in the cases registered at different police station in the metropolis.

On Saturday, the cases came up before the ATC-I judge for framing of an amended charge against the MQM leaders and activists.

The court had fixed the cases for framing the amended charge against the accused persons since suspect Mujahid had surrendered and joined the trial after obtaining bail to avoid arrest.

The judge read out the charges to the accused persons. However, all of them pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case.

The judge summoned the prosecution witnesses on the next date and adjourned the hearing till Jan 9.

In October 2018, the court had amalgamated around 23 identical cases registered at different police stations in the city against the MQM leaders for allegedly facilitating a highly provocative speech of their London-based chief against the country’s security establishment.

The cases were registered by individuals at different police stations.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2020