KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday sought comments from Rangers and police on Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Karachi President Dr Asim Hussain’s plea challenging his nomination in terrorists’ treatment and harbouring case.

The close aide of former President Asif Ali Zaradri was booked on Rangers’ complaint for allegedly providing medical facilities to the militants belonging to Muttahida Qaumi Movement, and other banned outfits at both branches of his Ziauddin Hospital.

Dr Asim, through lawyer Anwar Mansoor Khan, approached the SHC requesting it to quash the FIR registered against him under clauses of Anti-Terrorism Act, maintaining that he had nothing to do with said offence.

The Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh who was heading a division bench asked his lawyer that the case was registered in 2015 and they were challenging it now.

It would have been much better, had our application heard earlier but it’s never too late as it can be heard now, replied Anwar.

After hearing the arguments, the bench issued notices to Rangers and police, directing them to submit their respective replies by October 27.

Dr Asim was arrested by the Rangers in August 2015 and was detained for 90 days for his alleged role in terrorism-related offences. Subsequently, he was handed over to police in November 2015 after the registration of an FIR on Rangers’ complaint.

According to FIR, terrorists belonged to MQM, and other banned outfits had been treated at Dr Asim’s hospital. MQM leader, now Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar, lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui, Saleem Shehzad; Pak Sarzameen Party president Anis Kaimkhani, PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel, and Pasban Pakistan’s Usman Moazzam had asked him to do so.

Besides, the PPP Karachi President also faces charges of corruption as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed two references against him for allegedly depriving the public exchequer of Rs479.84billion by misusing his powers as the advisor on Petroleum.—PPI