Dr Asim taken into custody as ATC bins police report

Dr Asim Hussain

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday rejected police's investigation report that had acquitted Pakistan People's Party leader Dr Asim Hussain of all terror charges, directing the authorities to present the suspect before ATC-II for further proceedings.
Dr Asim, who was in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) custody, has now been handed over to police. Investigation Officer DSP Altaf Hussain presented the report in the court who explained why the suspect was released.
He said, "We did not find any evidence during the course of the investigation. The investigation report was first sent to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) concerned for approval, then to the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) concerned, and was finally approved by police's legal team."
Police had informed the court on December 11 that no terror-related evidence was found against Dr Asim under Section 497 (II) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which was why he was not required to be detained.
However, the Rangers' prosecutor contended that enough evidence existed against Dr Asim to implicate him. He stated that the statement of Dr Yousuf Sattar, the managing director of Ziauddin Hospitals, was concrete evidence against Dr Asim.
The Rangers' prosecutor further said that the instigation officer did not consult the Rangers during the course of investigations despite the case being initiated by the paramilitary force.
The court had ordered the police investigation officer to submit a report within 10 days demanding an explanation as to why no charges could be established against Dr Asim under the CrPC.
Dr Asim's counsel Anwar Mansoor Khan, informed the court he was receiving threats from certain quarters for defending the suspect.
In a statement to the court, Dr Asim said: "My life is under threat. I have been humiliated by the Press and by the electronic media. And I am the son of those who played a vital role in the creation of Pakistan." He alleged he was facing "personal vendetta" and said all evidence against him was 'false.'
The arrest of Dr Asim, chairman of the Sindh Higher Education Commission and a former petroleum minister, came on August 26 and was described as the first major action against PPP leaders during the ongoing Karachi operation.
Following the end of his 90-day preventive detention with Rangers, police sought multiple extensions in his remand for further questioning and collection of evidence in a case relating to treatment of, and sheltering, terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Rangers also filed a petition in the Sindh High Court (SHC) challenging removal of Special Public Prosecutor in the case of Dr Asim.
It is vital to mention here that the Sindh government through a notification on Sunday appointed senior lawyer Nisar Ahmed Durrani as prosecutor to replace Mushtaq Jahangiri. - Online