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Supporters of Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party hold photographs of party leader Altaf Hussain during a sit-in protest calling for Hussain’s release in Karachi yesterday.
Agencies/Karachi
Lead counsel of former president retired General Pervez Musharraf, Barrister Farogh Nasim, is going to London to assist Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain, who was arrested this Tuesday on suspicion of money laundering.
During the hearing of the ‘high treason’ case in the special court, headed by Justice Faisal Arab of Sindh High Court (SHC), Barrister Nasim informed the three-member bench that he was leaving for United Kingdom (UK) because of some ‘untoward circumstances’.
Barrister Nasim was arguing an application seeking details of those who were allegedly part of the emergency imposed on November 3, 2007.
He said: “I wanted to conclude my arguments today as my presence is required in London because of the circumstances.”
When asked about the duration of his stay in UK, the barrister was unsure but expressed a possibility of staying there for a long time.
Barrister Nasim said: “I am more concerned for the health of Altaf Hussain, than the legal issue.” He said the MQM chief would apply for a bail under the British law.
Meanwhile in Karachi yesterday a bomb carried on a rickshaw killed one person and wounded four others, police said.
The bomb exploded near a mosque in a densely populated Orangi town neighbourhood in the west of the port city, a senior police official said.
“One person has been killed and four wounded in the blast,” Sajid Sadozai said.
Sadozai said bomb disposal experts were examining the site to ascertain whether the bomb was planted in the riksha (rickshaw) or if passengers were carrying the explosive.
A second senior police official confirmed the blast and said that it did not appear to be linked to protests against the arrest of Altaf Hussain.
Since his arrest in London on Tuesday on suspicion of money-laundering thousands have staged a sit-in in Karachi calling for his release, and his arrest has sparked fears of a major backlash in the port city.
Karachi, a city of 18mn people which contributes 42% of Pakistan’s GDP, has been plagued for years by sectarian, ethnic and political violence.
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