ATC acquits man accused of attacking court bailiff, cops

Syed Hasan Nawaz was among 50 others who attacked, tortured court bailiff

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) acquitted one accused on Saturday in a case pertaining to an attack on a court bailiff and the police, due to lack of evidence against him.

According to the police, the court bailiff, Muhammad Noor Khan, went to Saudabad to vacate a house in September 2017 on the directives of the district and sessions judge, when Syed Hasan Nawaz and around over 50 others attacked and tortured him. They attacked police officers as well and held them, hostage, claimed the police, adding that the accused presented himself as a former officer of a law enforcement agency.

ATC holds first hearing of Justice Baqar attack case

Meanwhile, another ATC adjourned the hearing of a case pertaining to raising anti-state slogans, damaging government property, and attacking media houses, on the prayer of the petitioner.

Dr Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan, Qamar Mansoor, Shahid Pasha Gulfraz Khattak and other accused appeared before the court.

The petitioner prayed the court to adjourn the hearing as he was ill. Accepting the request, the court adjourned the hearing till December 13, when the defence lawyers will cross-examine the petitioner's statement.

Verdict reserved on transferring video leak case to ATC

The ATC heard two cases against leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The cases are registered at Artillery Police Station and eight persons, including MQM founder Altaf Hussain, have been declared absconders by the court. According to the police, MQM workers engaged in rioting and vandalism, causing the death of one person and injuring several others.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 8^th, 2019.