Naimat Khan
KARACHI: Police on Saturday submitted final challan in the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in which Chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Dr Farooq Sattar, and central leader, Amir Khan, has been declared co-accused.
An anti terrorism court in Karachi heard the case of inciting speech by Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain on August 22, 2016 outside the Karachi Press Club and subsequent attacks on media house. On the outset of proceeding, police submitted challan which said that both Farooq Sattar and Amir Khan had disowned the speech, however, there are concrete evidences as they were not only present but were also clapping when Altaf Hussain was delivering his anti-Pakistan speech.
“These were Farooq Sattar and Amir Khan who incited the workers to attack media houses. Amir Khan has also endorsed the anti Pakistan speech. In video Amir Khan said that orders of Altaf Hussain will be implemented. We don’t want to raise slogans in favor of Pakistan, Amir Khan told,” according to the challan.
The court ordered to provide copies of the challan to both Farooq Sattar and Amir Khan and set January 20, 2018 as next hearing date.
Late in November, an investigation officer on Saturday submitted before the anti-terrorism court (ATC) that request has been sent to Sindh Home Department to interrogate chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Dr Farooq Sattar, and central leader Amir Khan by Joint Interrogation Team in the 22 August hate speech case.
The officer submitted that police have already sent a letter to provincial home department, requesting to form JIT for the case.
The challan said MQM leader Amir Khan in support of MQM founder’s speech said that “after whatever has been happening [with the MQM] he no longer feels like making pro-Pakistan slogans”.
MQM leader Farooq Sattar clapped in support of Khan’s speech, the challan stated.
The suspects led weight to the incendiary speech of MQM founder, and violence against media houses could have been avoided if the two had not supported it. Their claims of not being aware of the administrative aspects of delivering the speech by the founder is a lie, the challan stated.
Talking to media after the hearing Farooq Sattar said that he and his party have distanced themselves from Altaf Hussain. To a query regarding the arrest of Hammad Siddiqui Farooq Sattar said that the terrorist wanted in Baldia factor fire case should be treated according to the law.
