Anti-Terrorism Court: Suspects in Haripur attack set free

The released include seven men charged with the September 2007 attack on military troops.

HARIPUR: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday dismissed a case against seven men charged with the September 2007 attack on military troops in Ghazi tehsil of Haripur and ordered their release, citing flimsy evidence. The law enforcement agencies in a joint operation had arrested nine accused persons following the First information report (FIR) registered at the Ghazi police station on September 14, 2007. According to the FIR, a suicide bomber struck at the Brigade Headquarter of the Karar Company of SSG at Tarbela Dam, killing 16 soldiers and injuring 19 others.  After the interrogation, the accused were shifted to Haripur jail on judicial remand, where the anti-terrorism court Hazara division ordered the release of Muhammad Shakil and Muhammad Fida on November 19, 2008, while the others were set free on Saturday when the prosecution failed to establish its charges against all the nine accused.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2012.