ATC rejects Mirza’s plea for transfer of IO

Karachi
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) rejected Dr Zulfiqar Mirza’s two applications on Thursday in which he had sought the transfer of one of the investigation officers pursuing anti-terrorism cases against him as well as permission to record his statement at home.
ATC-I Judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso told the defendant to record his statement at the Darakhshan police station.
Mirza has been charged with causing damage to a police station and forcing a shutdown of shops during protests in Badin on May 3. He is on bail till May 19. His pleas were rejected after special public prosecutors Muhammad Khan Buriro and Mubashir Mirza made their arguments.
Mirza’s counsel, Ashraf Sammon, raised an objection to an investigation officer, saying he was biased against his client.
Buriro said no case had been registered against Sammon at the Arambagh police station, who, he said, had lied to the media to gain publicity.
When Mirza, who is a former home minister and has fallen out of favour with his friend and PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari, said he was not being represented by Sammon and anybody else, the court directed him to file a written statement in this regard. However, Mirza did not do so.
Buriro referred to Article 25 of the constitution and said it would not be fair to hear the defendant at his home as it would be a violation of the article that guaranteed equal status to all citizens of Pakistan.
He mentioned that Mirza was in the habit of passing derogatory remarks against police officers. He informed the judge that in one case when the IO went to his home he misbehaved with him.
The public prosecutor suggested that instead of telling him to appear at the Jamshed Quarters police station he could be directed to visit the Darakhshan police station as it was located near his home.
The IOs who will record Mirza’s statement of Mirza are Inspector Syed Zulqarnain, Inspector Sajjad and Badin SSP Imran Baloch. They will get notices on Friday, in which they will be told record Mirza’s statement at the Mirza at the Darakhshan police.