On Wednesday, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Karachi rejected the request of the police of the pre-trial detention of the president of the Muhajir Qaumi movement, Afaq Ahmed, rather ordered his pre-trial detention.
The AFAQ was arrested as part of two criminal fire cases in the Awami colony of Karachi and the Landhi regions, where unidentified individuals would have set fire to freight trucks.
However, the court questioned the legitimacy of the accusations of terrorism invoked in the case.
During the hearing, the judge expressed his skepticism about allegations, pointing out: “How and why was the terrorism clause applied in this case?” He also declared that if the case lacked sufficient evidence, it could be rejected.
The court also took a critical position on political arrests, noting that the imprisonment of politicians often improves their popularity.
“A gentleman is already in prison and is not controlled, now another is invited to go out, and he refuses to do so,” said the judge.
The AFAQ Ahmed was placed Tuesday, following reports of three cargo vehicles and an oil tanker was burnt down in different areas of Karachi, including Sharifabad and Surjani Town. Police presented it to the court asking for a pre -trial detention, which was refused by the ATC.
Karachi carriers launched a demonstration on Tuesday in response to a series of incidents involving heavy fire vehicles.
The demonstrators blocked the main entrance points in the city, including the roads leading to Port Qasim, Hub Chowki and New Sabzi Mandi, causing disturbances in traffic. Transporters have required improved government security measures to prevent other incidents.
The troubles followed a deadly accident earlier during the day, when a motorcyclist, Sadiq Ahmed, 30, was killed in a collision with a hard truck near the Musharraf colony in Hawks Bay.
The driver of the deficit fled the premises, but the police arrested the vehicle and looked for the driver.
Meanwhile, two other vehicles – an oil tanker and a trailer – were burnt down by unidentified individuals in separate incidents, increasing the total number of vehicles burnt down since morning to four. Police have launched fires on fires and authorities are trying to respond to growing concerns about public security.
