ATC issues non-bailable arrest warrant for Qaimkhani

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday issued non-bailable warrant of arrest against a dissident leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Anees Qaimkhani, and others while hearing the case against Dr Asim Hussain and ordered production of Anees Qaimkhani and other absconders till April 2.

Former federal minister and the chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission, Dr Asim Hussain, is also facing a case pertaining to the charges of facilitation and provision of treatment to alleged criminals and accused of terrorism at his hospital.

Investigation Officer (IO) DSP Altaf Hussain told the court that he had tried to trace Qaimkhani but could not arrest him.  He further told the court that he had approached a bungalow in Khayaban-e-Sahar at the Defence Housing Authority where Qaimkhani was residing, but he was not available there and had moved to Hyderabad. 

The IO further said that he contacted Qaimkhani on mobile phone and received a message from Qaimkhani that he was ready to appear in the court.  Besides, he had moved a bail application as well. 

The court observed that accused Anees Qaimkhani was being seen on TV by everyone, but the IO had failed to trace him as yet.  The judge, while issuing non-bailable warrant against Anees Qaimkhani and another MQM leader, Saleem Shehzad, and a Pakistan People’s Party leader, Qadir Patel, ordered their production in the court on Aril 2. 

An attorney for Qadir Patel told the court that his client was arriving in Pakistan on March 29 and would appear before the court.  A prosecutor representing the Rangers expressed his doubts about the legal role of the IO, Altaf Hussain, adding that he was backing the accused and had some connections with them. 

He said that the former IO, Rao Zulfiqar, had filed a report that clearly said that some 303 outlaws were provided medical treatment at the hospitals of the key accused, Dr Asim Hussain.

The attorney for the Rangers has submitted applications against the Investigation Officer (IO) for his alleged biased role in the trial and also against the in charge of “Maal-khana” (a place where case properties are stored), claiming that the two were trying to influence the case negatively.