The interior ministry on Tuesday gave approval for the issuance of a red warrant against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) head Altaf Hussain. The MQM founder was wanted in various cases including charges of terrorism and incitement to violence, it added.
The approval was apparently issued in compliance with the orders of an anti-terrorism court. The court had ordered police last month to approach the authorities and secure a red warrant against MQM founder Altaf Hussain.
The court was hearing three identical cases against Hussain pertaining to his Aug 22 anti-state speech.
Police had charged MNA Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Qamar Mansoor and Shahid Pasha for allegedly listening to and facilitating the speech in three cases lodged at Quaidabad, Steel Town and SITE Superhighway police stations and named Hussain, Dr Farooq Sattar, Khawaja Izharul Hasan, Dr Amir Liaquat Hussain and other leaders as absconders.
On the last hearing, the court had issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of the absconders.
The court had asked the IO to approach the interior ministry through proper channel in order to get the red warrant issued through Interpol for the arrest of the MQM founder.
According to the prosecution, the FIRs were lodged on the complaints of three private persons who stated that they were present at their houses on Aug 22, 2016 and had watched a highly provocative speech of the MQM founder on social media.
Dozens of cases against MQM chief are in pending before various courts in the country.
Following the diatribe of Altaf Hussain on August 22, a large number of cases were filed against the party chief. Several anti-terrorism courts across Pakistan, including ATCs in Karachi, Quetta and Gilgit-Biltistan region have issued non-bailable warrants against the MQM chief.
