KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Tuesday was indicted by an anti-terrorism court along with some other suspects in the May 12 violence case.
Wasim Akhtar served as the home adviser when the May 12, 2007 violence took place.
He appeared in court along with the others accused, however, the others could not be indicted in the other cases related to the May 12 violence, as their legal counsels were not present.
The court, however, has summoned witnesses to record their statements at the next hearing.
The hearing was adjourned until June 23.
Talking to reporters, Akhtar said there should be impartial investigations into the real perpetrators of violence.
Calling for an end to fake cases, the mayor said they are not the one to run away and will face the courts. Akhtar recalled that after becoming mayor of Karachi, he was nominated in dozens of cases against him as part of a political vendetta.
On May 12, 2007, around 50 people were killed and hundreds injured as clashes broke out in the city between rival political groups after a visit of then-chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.
Akhtar was elected mayor of Karachi in August 2016 while he was in jail on judicial remand in various cases.
