Police on Tuesday afternoon arrested Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) Waseem Akhtar and Rauf Siddiqui and Pak Sarzameen Party's Anis Kaimkhani in a case pertaining to providing treatment and shelter to alleged terrorists.
Akhtar, Siddiqui and Kaimkhani have been shifted to jail in an armoured personnel carrier (APC). Police have been ordered to arrest Abdul Qadir Patel, who is also facing charges under the same case.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) earlier in the day rejected the pre-arrest bail applications of the political leaders.
The pre-arrest bail applications of Anis Kaimkhani, Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar, and Abdul Qadir Patel, who were facing charges of allegedly asking former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussian to provide treatment and shelter to alleged terrorists and gangsters at Ziauddin Hospital, were rejected.
A heavy contingent of police deployed at the premises summoned officers from the nearest police station to court.
Patel surrenders to police
PPP's Abdul Qadir Patel has surrendered to the police after failing to appear before the court earlier in the day.
"When I reached the court, the door was closed and I could not enter. Hence, after waiting for a few minutes I left," said Patel while talking to the media on his arrival at Boat Basin police station to hand himself over to the police.
The PPP leader added that he had not run away from the court as some media channels reported.
"If I wanted to run away, why would I come to Karachi from London, attend court proceedings and surrender myself to the police.
The political leaders were on pre-arrest bail for at least six months. Their applications were fixed before the ATC-II judge for confirmation or otherwise.
Dr Asim, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, had been booked on the complaint of Rangers for allegedly treating and harbouring suspected terrorists, militants and gangsters at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital at the behest of some MQM and PPP leaders.
According to the prosecution, four different parties had allegedly asked Dr Asim to provide medical treatment to “political militants”, Lyari gangsters as well as activists of banned militant outfits after they sustained wounds in shootouts with police and Rangers.
A case was also registered at the North Nazimabad police station earlier, under charges of harbouring offenders, criminal breach of trust and Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act.“The MQM expects a fair trial and an early bail of the nominated mayor and a sitting MPA. This is part of the policy of criminalisation, demoralisation and isolation of the party.”
Patel surrenders before Boat Basin police station
Talking to media outside the police station, the PPP leader claimed he reached the ATC a bit late and its door had been closed.
Therefore, Patel said, he waited outside and after learning through his counsel that his interim bail was rejected, he proceeded outside to file a petition in the high court.
“From there I went to a friend’s house for legal consultation and saw the media footage, describing me as a runaway.”
Vowing to face the trial, Patel said he did not come back to Pakistan from London to escape the court.
“I came back to the country from London to attend the hearing of the case then why would I escape from the court,” he asked.
Earlier Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed the Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal for Patel’s arrest.
“As far as Patel’s arrest is concerned, it was a matter in ATC. It’s the duty of home minister to get the absconder arrested,” he said.
Dr Asim’s case
A close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Dr Asim Hussain, was arrested by the paramilitary Rangers on charges of corruption and facilitating terrorists in August 2015.
The FIR registered by the Rangers deputy superintendent alleges Dr Asim provided medical treatment and shelter to terrorists and criminals on the behest of the arrested leaders, as well as Saleem Shahzad.
Last month, the ATC had rejected bail for Dr Asim in the terror facilitation case.
The former federal minister is currently in the custody of National Accountability Bureau in Karachi.
