KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit reports pertaining to the attachment of the properties that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour had reportedly purchased in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar by using his fake identities (before his killing in a drone strike).

The court also directed the agency to submit a report on the proclamation of the slain Taliban leader’s two alleged accomplices, who are absconding in an alleged terror financing and money laundering case filed in July, 2019.

The FIA had booked Mullah Mansour alias Mohammad Wali alias Gul Mohammad, Akhtar Mohammad and Amaar in a case lodged under Section 11H (pertaining to fund raising and money laundering) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, read with Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Since January, the court has been directing the IO to submit report regarding completion of the process of attachment of the slain Taliban leader’s properties and proclamation of his two alleged absconding accomplices — Akhtar Mohammad and Amaar under Sections 87 and 88 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

ATC also asks FIA for report on proclamation of his absconding aides

Taking up the matter on Saturday, the ATC-II judge noted that according to the charge-sheet the two nominated suspects, Ammar and Akhtar, were still absconding while Mullah Mansour was killed in a drone strike at the Pak-Iran border on May 21, 2016.

The FIA investigating officer Rehmatullah Domki filed a written report regarding a property (allegedly owned by the slain Mullah Mansoor in the Karachi’s Maniyar Cooperative Housing Society on Shaheed-i-Millat Road) on a stamp paper pleading to the court to order its attachment in the present case.

However, the judge observed that the matter could not be decided without hearing/statement of builder i.e. the management of the cooperative housing society regarding the subject property.

Therefore, the IO withdrew the statement and undertook to submit the same at the next hearing.

The judge also directed the IO to produce the builder, a representative of the Maniya Cooperative Housing Society and Sub-Registrar-I of Jamshed Town, along with their respective record related to the land, on the next date of hearing.

FIA’s legal adviser Khalid Hussain and special public prosecutor Ishrat Zahid Alvi were absent.

The judge noted that the reports regarding completion of the process of proclamation of the alleged absconders and attachment of their properties, under Sections 87 and 88 of the CrPC, were still not received from the commissioners of Peshawar and Quetta.

The IO was directed to submit replies of the deputy commissioners of Peshawar and Quetta reports regarding completion of the proclamation of the suspects and attachment of their properties on the next date. The hearing was adjourned till April 20.

The Afghan Taliban leader had allegedly bought five properties on fake identity.

According to the final charge-sheet submitted to the administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts by the IO on July 25, 2019, Mullah Mansour, successor of Mullah Omar as Taliban chief, was killed in a drone strike at the Pak-Iran border on May 21, 2016.

During the course of enquiry/investigation, it transpired that accused Mullah Akhtar Mansour had purchased the properties in the name of Mohammad Wali and Gul Mohammad.

It said a flat (B-16, Bismillah Terrace, Gulzar-i-Hijri, Scheme-33, Karachi) was purchased by Mullah Mansour for Rs1.4 million.

The charge-sheet said another flat (B-6-3, Ammar Tower, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Karachi) was purchased by Mullah Mansour against the payment of Rs3,620,000 on July 19, 2011. Another flat (801, Sumaya Residency, near Gulistan-i-Anees marriage hall, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Karachi) was purchased by Mullah Mansour for Rs17,300,000 on Sept 15, 2014.

It added that a 441.67-square-yard plot (B-65, Sector-W, Sub-sector-III, Gulshan-i-Maymar, KDA Scheme-45, Karachi) was purchased by Mullah Mansour on Dec 1, 2009, for Rs5.4 million. This property was registered in the name of Gul Mohammad.

“According to sale/purchase deed ... made between the seller Arshad Mazhar and purchaser Gul Mohammad the value of said open plot was shown as Rs486,500 instead of actual value of Rs5.4 million,” the charge-sheet highlighted.

It also listed a house (A-56, Sector-Z, Sub-Sector-V, Gulshan-i-Maymar, KDA Scheme-45, Karachi) that was purchased by Mullah Mansour for Rs4.7m on Nov 29, 2007. This property was also registered in the name of Gul Mohammad, who later transferred the ownership in the name of Akhtar Mohammad, another front-man of Mullah Mansour.

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2020