KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday summoned complainants in nearly two dozen cases against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders pertaining to an incendiary speech by party founder Altaf Hussain.

Senior leaders, including Dr Farooq Sattar, 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 identical cases.

In October 2018, the ATC-I judge had amalgamated around 23 identical FIRs 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.

On Saturday, the investigating officers failed to produce the witnesses who had lodged the identical FIRs to record their testimonies.

Also, ATC records cross-examination of IO in case pertaining to media houses

The judge once again summoned the witnesses with direction to the investigation officer concerned to produce them on the next hearing on Feb 22.

Media houses attack case

Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court recorded cross-examination of an investigating officer in a case pertaining to a violent protest, arson attack and ransacking of media houses following the incendiary speech of MQM founder Altaf Hussain.

On Saturday, Advocate Shaukat Hayat — defence counsel for Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan and Kanwar Naveed — completed cross-examination of the witness, Inspector Afzal Sindhu.

The judge fixed the matter on Feb 22 for further cross-examination by the defence counsel for other accused persons.

Examination-in-chief Ins­pector Sindhu had deposed that he was assigned investigation of one of the identical cases lodged at the Artillery Maidan police station after the incident took place. The two identical cases were registered on behalf of the state at the Artillery Maidan police station.

The IO had testified that after listening to the telephonic speech made by the MQM supremo from London, the angry mob set fire to a van and two motorcycles of police, as they marched from the Karachi Press Club towards Zainab Market.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2020