Anti-terrorism court Friday rejected Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) plea filed by Waseem Akhtar seeking permission to appear before returning officer to submit nomination candidates for mayorship.
The petition was filed in the court by Akhtar’s Counsel, Khawaja Naveed who maintained that his client is MQM’s mayoral candidate for Karachi and thus should be allowed to leave prison for appearance before returning officer.
The court turned down the formal request stating that Election Commission of Pakistan would decide whether Akhtar would appear before returning officer or not.
The returning officer is authorised to summon a mayor-designate, the court stated.
Counsel for the defendant in Dr Asim’s terror facilitation case said that he would approach the Election Commission once the anti-terrorism court releases order.
MQM’s mayoral candidate was detained after a hearing in Dr Asim’s case last month along with Rauf Siddique, Pakistan People’s Party’s Abdul Qadir Patel and Pak Sarzameen Party’s Anees Qaimkhani.
The ATC had rejected petitions seeking extension in interim bails of all the four accused after which they were not allowed to leave the court’s premises.
Dr Asim Hussain, former petroleum minister had named the aforementioned politicians during interrogation by the Joint Investigation Team in a terror case against him.
According to Dr Asim, Waseem Akhtar and others asked him to treat terrorists and target killers in his hospital called Dr Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi.
A case was lodged at North Nazimabad Police Station last year in November against the former petroleum minister under terror sections.