KARACHI: An antiterrorism court issued on Thursday non-bailable warrants for arrest of five absconders in a case pertaining to instigating terrorism and harbouring criminals.

The Pakistan Rangers had detained Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Amir Khan along with dozens of other suspects for 90 days after their arrest during a pre-dawn raid on and around the party headquarters Nine Zero in Azizabad on March 11.

The MQM leader was handed overto police in June and booked along with absconding accused for allegedly providing shelter to 26 wanted suspects and using them for terrorist activities. However, the court granted bail to Amir Khan on June 29.

ATC-IV Judge Anandram Sairani issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of absconders Minhaj Qazi, Raees Mama, Shahzad Mullah, Imran Ijaz Niazi and Naeem, alias Mullah, and directed the investigating officer to arrest them and produce in court till Oct 30.

According to the prosecution, besides around 59 suspects, includingAmir Khan, placed under preventive detention, the paramilitary force had also arrested 26 armed suspects, including Faisal Mehmood, alias Mota, who was sentenced to death by a court in absentia for the murder of journalist Wali Khan Babar.

Meanwhile, an antiterrorism court remanded on Thursday a suspect in police custody in a case pertaining to the murder of two paramilitary soldiers.

The police produced Sher Mohammed, alias Sheru, said to be a political worker, before the ATC-II under Rangers security.