Accused in Justice Baqar attack case files plea

Plea states he was 15 years old at the time of attack

KARACHI: An accused in the Justice Baqar attack case filed on Saturday a petition claiming that he was 15 years old at the time of the attack.

Anti-Terrorism Court-6 (ATC) was conducting the hearing, where the accused, Muhammad Muavia, who belongs to a banned outfit, submitted his child registration certificate and other relevant documents with the plea.

Mauvia's counsel, Advocate Ahmed Tanoli also submitted a power of attorney to the court.

Following this, the court adjourned the hearing till March 4.

At an earlier hearing, a co-accused in the case, Masoom Bala alias Abu Bakr, had confessed to his involvement in the attack before a judicial magistrate.

According to police, the June 26 bomb attack on Justice Baqar killed nine people, including Rangers and police officials, and injured 21 others. Justice Baqar survived the blast with some injuries.

Acquittal plea rejected

Separately, ATC-12 rejected a plea seeking the acquittal of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement's Sher Khan in a case about hate speech, anti-state slogans and treason.

The petitioner had maintained in the plea that Sections 153-A and 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deal with treason and hate speech, were included in the case even though they cannot be applied without the government's permission.

The petitioner had claimed that the police had included these sections without the Sindh government's permission, proving that the case was 'fake.'

The court stated in its verdict that the relevant sections can be added in cases without the government's approval, adding that the Supreme Court's orders verify this.

According to the police, Khan had staged a demonstration in Sohrab Goth where the protesters had shouted treasonous slogans.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2020.