Extortion and ransom: Updates of ATCs’ cases

KARACHI:

The hearings of two extortion cases by the Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATC) were rescheduled on Wednesday.  The trial of Mohammad Asif and Javed, accused of trying to extort Rs200,000 from a doctor, will now be heard on June 6 by the Anti-Terrorism Court III while the trial of Hafizullah, who was formally charged on May 31 for extorting Rs70,000 as well as possession of weapons, will now be heard on July 3.

A police officer testified in an alleged case of kidnapping being heard by the ATC I on Tuesday. The FIR was filed with charges of kidnapping and under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

On Monday, a kidnapping case dating back to 1998 was heard by the ATC III. The trial is taking place at the Central Jail. Azizul Hussain and his accomplices, including a woman, are accused of being involved in the kidnapping a young girl. The FIR includes charges of kidnapping and common intent and was filed by the Sharfabad police station. The case will next be heard on June 19.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2012.