MQM’s Babar Ghauri remanded into police custody for seven days

• Babar Ghauri bought to ATC amid tight security.
• Police bring Ghauri without handcuffs.
• He says cases against him are baseless.

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KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday granted police a seven-day remand of former federal minister and MQM leader Babar Ghauri, who returned to the country last night.

The police, who took Ghauri into custody last night, produced the ex-federal minister before the court today to seek his remand.

Ghauri was brought to court amid tight security, seated in the front seat of the police vehicle, and the police refrained from handcuffing the MQM leader — who was considered a close ally of former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf.

In court, police told the judge that Ghauri was suspected of facilitating a provocative speech and a case has been registered against him at the SITE Super Highway Police Station.

After hearing the police’s arguments, the court awarded them a seven-day remand of Ghauri.

Speaking to journalists after the hearing, Ghauri said that the case against him is "baseless" and that had there been any truth in the allegations, he would "not have returned".

In a separate development, the Sindh High Court (SHC) granted Ghauri a nine-day protective bail in the National Accountability Bureau and Federal Investigation cases — prohibiting the watchdogs from arresting him.