IO identifies 2018 Chinese Consulate attack suspects in court

KARACHI:

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday witnessed significant progress in the 2018 Chinese Consulate attack case, where the investigating officer (IO) identified four suspects allegedly linked to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

During the hearing, held in Karachi's ATC, the key witness and investigating officer, Nek Muhammad, testified that on November 23, 2018, three operatives of the banned BLA attacked the Chinese Consulate. He further identified the four suspects present in court: Ahmed Husnain, Abdul Latif, Aslam, and Ali Ahmed. According to the officer, the suspects were arrested with explosives and weapons in separate cases.

The prosecution claimed that the suspects, in their confessional statements, had admitted to facilitating the attack on the consulate. Per the prosecution, they reportedly provided logistical support, including weapons and explosives, to the attackers and assisted the deceased terrorists in conducting reconnaissance of the consulate prior to the attack.

However, the defence counsel Abid Zaman argued that the prosecution had not properly recorded the confessional statements of his clients. He maintained that the case against his clients was fabricated and that police had no substantial evidence to implicate them. The court, after recording the investigating officer's statement, adjourned the hearing for cross-examination at a later date.

According to police, on November 23, 2018, three terrorists launched an attack on the Chinese Consulate, resulting in the deaths of four people, including two police officers.