ATC sends five on physical remand

CTD given 14-day remand of 'RAW-linked militants'

A special anti-terrorism court handed over on Tuesday five suspected terrorists to the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Police for physical remand till February 20.

The investigation officer maintained that the accused have been booked in eight cases and are believed to be working for the Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing.

The IO stated that the accused are members of Aghan intelligence working for RAW to carry out terrorist activities in the city.

The CTD moved the court to grant 14-day physical remand of the accused.

Accepting the request, the court handed over the five accused to the CTD for physical remand till February 20 and sought a progress report at the next hearing.

The accused, Bismillah alias Haji Lala, Muhammad Qasim alias Haji Siddiqui, Zahidullah alias Haji Suleiman, Inamullah alias Bilal and Gul Muhammad, were arrested by the CTD a day prior while one suspect was killed in an intelligence-based raid in Shah Latif Town.

The arrested accused were produced before the court after cases pertaining to possession of explosives and ammunition and police encounter were lodged against them under the Explosives Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act and Sindh Arms Act, among other sections.

Following the arrests, officials had claimed that the suspects were planning terror activities at landmarks in the city and had arrived in Karachi last month.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2021.