KARACHI - Sindh Rangers on Saturday strongly denied the allegations levelled by a senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain on Friday.

Dr Asim, in his interview with a private news channel, had alleged that he was heavily drugged by the Rangers’ personnel during investigations, and he did not know what he had uttered before them. However, he failed to name the drug, saying he had no idea which drug had been administered by Rangers personnel.

In reaction, paramilitary force termed these accusations contrary to the facts.

"Dr Asim had never levelled such allegations during custody and not even before the courts or after his release," reads a statement issued by Rangers. "Dr Asim is currently on bail and cases registered against him are being heard in courts." Rangers had arrested Dr Asim from Karachi, and later he was handed over to police after 90 days in custody. He had also been charged with facilitating terrorism.

A close aide of former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Dr Asim faces corruption references pertaining to land fraud amounting to Rs9.5 billion, money laundering of Rs3 billion, and misuse of authority and criminal breach of trust through a fertilizer scam of Rs450 billion.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also accused him of illegally awarding contracts to a privately-managed gas processing company, Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited, to process gas from government-owned gas fields without an open auction, causing a loss of Rs17.338 billion to the national exchequer.

He was also accused of providing treatment and shelter to criminals at his hospitals on the behest of leaders belonging to various political parties.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on March 29 had approved his bail plea in corruption cases against him.

In his leaked confessional video, while he was in the custody of NAB, Dr Asim had accused former president Asif Ali Zardari's aid Owais Muzaffar Tappi of being involved in all kinds of corruption.

All ATCs to be shifted to

Central Jail after Eid: Karachi- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday expressed satisfaction over the pace at which the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) were being shifted to Central Prison Karachi, and added the process would be completed after Eidul Azha.

He was chairing a meeting held to review progress on the establishment of anti-terrorism courts in Central Prison.

Those who attended the meeting included Minister for Works and Services Imdad Pitafi, Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjhar, Principal Secretary to CM Sindh Sohail Rajput and Secretary Home Shahid Pervez Qazi. The meeting was informed that the entire process would cost Rs805.98 million, under which 14 ATCs, 20 flats for judges, and 24 flats for concerned judicial staff would be constructed within the jail’s premises.

It was further informed that four of the ATC courts were already continuing their proceedings at the Central Jail while the remaining 10 courts would be completed by the month end.

The chief minister further asked the concerned departments to also ensure presence of CCTV cameras and other equipment within the jail’s premises so that security of the courts could be further strengthened.

He hoped that due to the construction of ATCs at jail’s premises it would become safer to conduct the trial of high-profile terrorists. “This will further improve the conviction rates and provide confidence to the judiciary,” he expressed optimism.

Rangers nab target killer, four others: The law enforcement agencies here on Saturday claimed to have arrested five outlaws, including a target killer affiliated with a political party, in various raids and operations carried out in different parts of the city.

Sindh Rangers arrested five accused persons including a politically motivated target killer namely Arsalan.

Rangers’ spokesperson said that those held were involved in a number of target killing incidents besides extortion and other criminal activities.

He further said that the Force had also recovered weapons and narcotics from the possession of criminals.

Meanwhile, Karachi police during raids in different parts of the metropolis apprehended eight alleged criminals.

According to details, police said that two gang war suspects, Nadeem Langra and Aurangzaib, were detained by Chakiwara police during a search operation in Sango Lane area of Lyari.

Police also recovered a large quantity of drugs and imported liquor from the suspects. Cases against the suspects were registered under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act and the Arms Ordinance.

Moreover Mubina Town police conducted a raid in Ayub Goth and arrested six suspects.  Furthermore Police arrested two robbers in injured condition after an alleged encounter with police near Hill Park area of the city in the wee hours of Saturday.

According to rescue sources, a 25-year-old robber, Umar Sultan, and a 30-year-old Imran, were looting buses and coaches near Hill Park when police team reached the scene. The accused opened fire on police which was also retaliated by the police.

During the shootout for some time, the robbers sustained bullet injuries. Police arrested them and recovered weapons, a motorbike and mobile phones from their possession. The injured robbers were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center for treatment.

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