An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday warned Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Dr Farooq Sattar of media blackout and reissued non-bailable arrest warrant of MQM Chief Altaf Hussain and others in provocative speech case.
The court heard the case pertaining to facilitation in hate speech delivered by the MQM leader in 2015. MQM’s Waseem Akhtar, Khawaja Izharul Hassan and Rauf Siddique appeared before the court, however, Dr Farooq Sattar and other accused maintained absence. The court resented their irresponsibility and warned of ordering their media blackout. The judge stated that a letter might be written to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) with the direction that a fugitive could not address the people through media.
The court ordered the absentees to voluntarily appear on the next date of hearing. The investigative officer was also ordered to arrest all the accused and produce them before the court by May 7. The court reprimanded the investigative officers and issued show-cause notices for not filing challans of eight cases. Interim bails of Waseem Akhtar, Khawaja Izahrul Hassan, Rauf Siddique and Qamar Mansoor were extended till May 7. Non-bailable arrest warrants of Dr Sattar, Rashid Godil, Haider Abbas Rizvi, Nasreen Jaleel and others were issued.
Some 22 cases are registered against sthe MQM chief and other members in different police stations for delivering a controversial speech in 2015, allegedly provoking the people to act against army and other state institutions.