KARACHl: An antiterrorism court has asked a court official to submit a report with regard to publication of an advertisement to auction properties purchased by slain Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Karachi to allegedly raise funds for financing terrorism.

Recently, the coud had taken over for auction five propedies, estimated to be worth over Rs32 million, purchased by the slain Taliban leader by using fake identities.

Mullah Mansour, who was killed in a drone strike along the Pakistan-Iran border on May 21, 2016, had bought plots and houses in different pans of Karachi.

In 2019, the Federal Investigation Agency had booked Mullah Mansour, alias Mohammad Wali and Gul Mohammad, along with his alleged absconding accomplices Akhtar Mohammad and Ammar in a case registered under Section 11H (penaining to fundraising and money laundering) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 read with other relevant sections of the law.

In July last year, an investigation revealed that the slain Taliban leader and his accomplices were allegedly involved in terrorism financing by raising funds through the purchase of propedies based on forged identities.

Since January, the coud has been directing the FIA`s investigation officer (10) to complete the process of attachment of Mansour`s propedies and proclamation of the two absconding accomplices under Sections 87 and 88 of the criminal procedure code.

On April 24, the coun ordered its Nazir (a court official) to take over the propedies of Mullah Mansour after the 10 finally submitted a repon regarding completion of the attachment process of the propedies by the FIA.

Subsequently, the coud had ordered the Nazir to auction the propedies and get advertisements published in newspapers.

On May 5, the Nazir filed a repon regarding seizure of properties owned by Mullah Akhtar Mansour on behalf of the court.

Therefore, the judge asked the Nazir to file a repon about publication of the auction advertisement in newspapers on the next date of hearing.

Taking up the matter recently, the judge noted that `accused Ammar and Akhtar Muhammad are absconder while accused Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in drone strike on 21.05.2016 at Pak-Iran border as per charge sheet.

No repon of the auction advenisement was filed by the Nazir. The judge asked the Nazir to file the repon of publication of auction advertisement and fixed the matter for July 2.

Meanwhile, 10 Rehmatullah Domki appeared along with the additional director (Legal) FIA Counterterrorism Wing Khalid Hussain and requested for adjournment.

The judge allowed the request. However, Special Public Prosecutor Ishrat Zahid Alvi for the state was absent.

During a previous hearing, the 10 had informed the coun that the FIA had uneadhed five properties purchased by the Taliban leader before his death. The estimated value of the propedies is Rs32m.

The coud had already called for reports from the commissioners of Peshawar and Quetta regarding the process of proclamation of Mullah Mansour`s alleged absconding accomplices and attachment of their propedies.