KARACHI: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) once again declared MQM’s Farooq Sattar an absconder in multiple cases on Saturday and ordered that he be presented before the ATC on March 20.

In the hearing of a case involving Sattar and various other MQM leaders who were charged with listening to, organizing and facilitating a speech made by Altaf Hussain in which he railed against the military establishment and security agencies. MQM leader Qamar Mansoor was granted bail while Shahid Pasha’s acquittal application was discarded.

The judge also pointed out the police’s failure to present Sattar in court despite the ATC’s multiple orders for his arrest.

On Aug 22, 2016 the day of the speech; Sindh Rangers had taken Sattar and MQM leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan into custody from outside the Karachi Press Club. The two leaders had intended to address a press conference in connection with the attack on ARY News; however, as they were about to start, Rangers officials arrived at the site and asked both leaders to accompany them to Rangers headquarters. The two were released after eight hours in custody.—NNI