ATC remands ex-bar president

Case draws outrage from lawyers in Dera Ghazi Khan

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) remanded former president of Jampur Bar Association Abdul Rauf Lund to jail over charges of possessing rocket launchers, firearms and ammunition, while his co-accused Muhammad Masood was remanded in police custody for 15 days.

The court issued orders to present the accused again on March 1.

According to the police statement, an informant stated that the accused Muhammad Masood, who is Rauf Lund’s nephew, had links with criminals in Kacha Rojhan and supplies them with arms. Rocket launchers and other illegal munitions and firearms are stored in his house.

A police team conducted a raid on Masood’s house and seized rocket launchers and ammunition, arresting the accused. He disclosed that Rauf was sleeping in the next room and there were also weapons there.

The team searched the other room and when they checked Rauf’s closet, a large amount of weapons were recovered from there. Rauf Lund was also arrested and a case was registered against him under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The police presented them for remand in Dera Ghazi Khan’s Special Anti-Terrorism Court.

After hearing arguments from both lawyers, Judge Syed Faiz ul Hasan ordered the judicial remand of Rauf Lund, while Muhammad Masood was handed over to the police on a fifteen-day remand. The court ordered both accused to appear again on March 1st.

On the other hand, locals and the lawyers community, including Punjab Bar Council member Malik Muhammad Iqbal Saqib Advocate, former president of Jampur Bar Association Abdul Rasheed Bara and Manzoor Ahmed Daraishak termed the case against Rauf a conspiracy to suppress a democratic voice, violating freedom of expression.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2023.