An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) on Monday awarded 81 years of rigorous imprisonment to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supremo Altaf Hussain. The court also issued orders to confiscate the MQM chief’s property over his anti-state speeches. Announcing the verdict, ATC Judge Raja Shahbaz Khan directed the MQM chief to submit a fine of Rs2.4 million in the court, ordering the Sindh Inspector General of Police to produce Altaf before the court.In July, Altaf had made inflammatory remarks against law enforcement agencies, followed by a plea to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) and the United Nations (UN) to send their troops to Karachi. The indictment of the MQM chief and the implementation of the verdict remain questionable and unexplained. First, it seems superfluous that cases against Altaf Hussain have been filed by the residents of a region who have least concern about politics in Karachi. The ground realities indicate an orchestrated campaign against the MQM chief. Even if the cases are the result of genuine concerns, how can the court have its order implemented? Is it within the purview of the court to award such a sentence to a ‘foreigner’? Altaf Hussain has been a British nationality holder and living there for so many years. Pakistani courts cannot indict him so long as he is living in the UK. There is no extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan governments about the exchange of criminals. By pronouncing this verdict, the court invites the risk of mirth rather than being taken seriously. Second, the proceedings have been initiated and the decision has been made in a hasty manner. The same ATC should also have shown such haste in cases related to the extrajudicial killings in Karachi and confinement of persons by the law enforcement agencies without any proof or charge. There are other politicians who spoke against the armed forces like Asif Zardari, Khawaja Asif and Mashhoodullah Khan, but no action has been taken against them on these grounds. Whatever Altaf Hussain has said against the law enforcement agencies and the state is unfortunate. But our courts should not take decisions that are beyond logic and cannot be implemented in letter or spirit. By making such decisions, the courts only invite unnecessary criticism.
pk.shafaqna.com
