KARACHI - Anti-Terrorism Court Tuesday indicted Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar and other Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders and workers in the May 12 carnage case.

Akhtar and others appeared in the court wherein the arrested accused Umair Siddiqui was also produced. The court indicted all accused in one of the four cases. All 19 nominated accused are on bail. The court has proclaimed 16 missing accused as absconders in a case pertaining to the brutal violence that erupted in the port city, some 11 years ago. There are multiple cases regarding the Karachi violence, but the accused could not be indicted in all of them, owing to the absence of legal counsels.

Waseem Akhtar was elected as Karachi mayor in August 2016 while he was languishing in jail.

As the accused denied the charges, the court summoned witnesses to record their statements on June 23 for the next hearing.

Around 50 people were killed and hundreds wounded in clashes between political groups in Karachi after the visit of the then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on May 12, 2007.

According to the prosecution, Waseem Akhtar was the home adviser to the Sindh chief minister when the riots erupted across the city. It was maintained that he let the law and order situation deteriorate and directed law enforcers not to take action against the perpetrators of violence. A total of seven cases were registered related to the tragic incident.

Talking to newsmen after the hearing, Waseem Akhtar said the investigation should be neutral in order to trace the real masterminds behind the violence. He added the false cases registered against him should now end. Akhtar also stated that after he became the Karachi mayor, dozens of cases were registered against him as part of a political agenda. “We will not run away and face the courts,” said Akhter in a defiant tone.

The CJP at the Karachi Registry of the SC sought details of May 12 violence case last week.

Meanwhile, anti terrorism court allowed Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Rauf Siddiqui to go abroad for 10 days. He is accused of providing medical facilities to terrorists.

The court heard final arguments from both the sides on former provincial minister Rauf Siddiqui’s application for grant of exemption from appearance and ordered the authorities to remove his name from the exit control list. Rangers’ counsel opposed the plea and expressed the apprehension that the applicant might not come back as he has been facing serious charges.

The court also granted exemption from appearance to Dr Asim, the main accused in the case. Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has already been given exemption from appearance by the trial court.

Pak Sarzameen Party President Anis Kaimkhani, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan lawmaker Rauf Siddiqui, PPP’s Abdul Qadir Patel, former MQM leader Saleem Shahzad and Usman Moazzam of Pasban have also been named as co-accused in the case for asking Dr Asim to treat alleged militants. A case was registered against Dr Asim and others in 2015 on the complaint of the Rangers at the North Nazimabad police station. All the suspects have been granted bail.

According to the prosecution, Dr Asim is accused of providing shelter to terrorists, gang war criminals and target killers. The accused owns a hospital in Karachi which has two branches. Terrorists used to get medical treatment in his hospital.

Dr Asim has denied the charges. He has also been facing trial in two corruption references and the Sindh High Court has granted him bail in both the references.