KARACHI: An accountability court has charged Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar and other suspects over May 12 mayhem.

The mayor and others accused of involvement in the 20o7 violence appeared before the court on Tuesday.

When the hearing began, ATC judge indicted Waseem Akhtar and others in a May 12 case. They pleaded innocence.

The accused could not be inducted in three more cases due to unavailability of lawyers.

The ATC summoned witnesses in the next hearing and adjourning the case till June 23.

Speaking to media persons outside the court, Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar called for a fresh probe into the May 12 violence which left scores of political workers killed in Karachi during daylong riots.

“The real facts and characters behind the tragedy should be exposed before public,” he said. “Innocent people have been facing cases without any reason. If things go on like this, people will be fed up with the system,” he warned.

“We are not going to run away from cases or investigations, but fake cases must be closed.”

He said that at least 40 new cases were registered against him after his nomination as the Mayor of Karachi. “In a single day, 20 FIRs were lodged against me. I am being subjected to political vendetta after my election,” he lamented.