ATC convicts 14 persons in 2017 jailbreak case in Karachi

Two members of a banned terrorist outfit had escaped the prison, jail officials among those convicted

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) awarded six years of imprisonment on Friday to 14 accused in the case pertaining to the jailbreak in 2017. The court was hearing the case at Karachi Central Jail.

The court awarded six years and a fine to the jail’s assistant superintendent, Ghulam Murtaza, Abdul Rehman Shaikh, and 12 other accused.

Two members of a banned terrorist outfit, Shaikh Mumtaz alias Firoun and Muhammad Ahmed Khan alias Muna, had escaped from Karachi Central Jail’s Judicial Complex on June 13, 2017.

Prison officers, Fahim Anwar, Salik Ayaz and Rafique Channa, were also convicted in the case.

The accused, released on bail earlier, were arrested from the courtroom and sent to jail after the court’s verdict.

According to the verdict, the sentence will be considered as two years. The time the accused have already served in jail will be counted in the sentence. The court awarded two years of imprisonment against each of the three sections included in the case.

Both the terrorists were arrested by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police in 2013 and they were both supporters of a banned sectarian outfit. According to police, a search operation was conducted at the jail by Rangers and police after the jailbreak to arrest those involved in the escape.

Vandalism case

Another ATC recorded the statement of petitioner, Abdul Ghaffar Sindhu, in the cases pertaining to anti-state slogans, vandalism and terrorism.

Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Kunwar Naveed Jamil, Qamar Mansoor, Shahid Pasha, and others appeared before the court. The ATC recorded the petitioner’s statement.

“I was present at the time on August 22, the day the speech was made,” said Sindhu. “The founder of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) used derogatory language for Dr Sattar and then Amir Khan gave a speech to provoke [party] workers,” he told the court. Sindhu said he knows the party leaders present in the court room. “I saw these party leaders in the camp on different occasions between August 17 and August 22. Eleven people were arrested from there at the time of the incident and the camp, as well as other items, was seized by the police. An FIR was then lodged at the police station,” said Sindhu in his statement.

The investigation officer (IO) presented the case property before the court. This included empty bullet shells, tear gas shells, and materials seized from the detained workers. The counsels for the accused will cross-examine the petitioner’s statement on the next hearing.

The court adjourned the hearing till October 19.

Witnesses summoned

Meanwhile, another ATC recorded the statements of witnesses, police constable Tariq and Dr Jawad Memon, in the four cases against former home minister Zulfiqar Mirza and others, and summoned more witnesses on the next hearing.

Mirza and other accused appeared before the court. The prosecution presented two witnesses before the court, Dr Memon and Tariq. They recorded their statements before the ATC.

The court adjourned the hearing till October 30.

According to police, four cases against the accused are under trial. Mirza and his accomplices have been indicted. The cases pertaining to vandalism, other charges, were registered in different police stations of Badin.