KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday granted Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar exemption from personal appearance during the hearing of four cases pertaining to the May 12, 2007 carnage.
The mayor along with other accused persons appeared before the ATC as it resumed the hearing of the cases.
Akhtar through his lawyer filed an application seeking exemption from personal appearance.
He stated before the court that he couldn’t appear in the court on each hearing because of his official engagements and pleaded that he be granted exemption.
The ATC judge allowed his plea and adjourned the hearing of the cases till June 12.
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A number of cases related to the May 12, 2007 mayhem are pending against MQM leaders, including the mayor.
On May 12, 2007, at least 50 people were killed and over 100 wounded in attacks on rallies of different political parties and the legal fraternity, who had attempted to receive the then deposed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry at the Karachi airport ahead of a lawyers’ gathering.
Justice Chaudhry was forced to fly back to Islamabad after nine hours of being restricted to the airport.
