Sri Lankan team attack: ‘One accused killed, one missing’

Punjab govt asks LHC to cancel bail of six accused.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court was on Monday told that one of the men accused of involvement in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 and who was on bail had died in Afghanistan, while another was still missing.

A division bench of the LHC was hearing a petition of the Punjab government seeking the cancellation of bails granted to six accused by an anti-terrorism court.

Lahore Police officials told the bench that Imanullah had died in Afghanistan while Qari Ashfaq alias Mushtaq was missing. Police produced the four other accused – Ubaidur Rehman, Javed Anwar, Abdullah and Ibrahim Khalil  before the court amidst tight security.

After the police report, the court directed the lawyers of the petitioner and respondents to appear on March 13 for final arguments.

The Punjab government contended that all six accused had been identified by witnesses, had confessed during interrogation, and had been arrested in possession of a large quantity of weapons and suicide jackets. It said their trial was being hindered by their non-appearance in court.

Abdul Samad, representing the government, said the accused had damaged the country’s image by attacking the Sri Lankan cricket team. He said they were abusing the concession of bail and it should be withdrawn.

He said that the relief of bail given to the accused sent the wrong message about Pakistan to the Sri Lankan cricket team and the rest of the world.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2012.