ATC displeased as CTD fails to protect witnesses

Why isn't the Witness Protection Act being implemented? asks the anti-terrorism court judge

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sought on Friday reports from the Sindh police chief and home secretary pertaining to the implementation of the Witness Protection Security and Benefit Act, 2017, in the province.

ATC-16 was hearing a case pertaining to the suicide attack at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sehwan in February 2017, which left at least 82 people dead.

Expressing annoyance at the Sindh IGP and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for failing to provide security to witnesses in the case as previously ordered by the court, the judge observed that the protection of witnesses did not appear to be a priority.

"Why isn't the Witness Protection Act being implemented?" asked the judge, ordering the provincial home secretary to appoint a focal person to provide a report on the status of implementation of the act. He added that the report should also mention whether compensation has been paid to the families affected by the Sehwan attack.

The shrine's gaddi nasheen (caretakers), Syed Muhammad Shah and Ali Hassan, who had identified the accused suspects, had filed a plea seeking protection from the court in the last hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2020.