Expediting justice: SP Swat directed to produce witnesses against Suf i Muhammad

TNSM chief at LRH after complaining of joint pains during incarceration.


Our Correspondent June 12, 2013
Jail authorities will decide whether the follow-up will be conducted in the prison or at the LRH. PHOTO: FILE

PESHAWAR:


At a meeting between the home department and police on improving the prosecution process, SP investigation Swat was directed to produce witnesses in criminal cases against Tehreek-e-Nifaz Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad.


Sufi is known for instigating insurrections in Malakand in the 90s. The banned group was also involved in the uprising in Swat in 2007, with Sufi’s son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah as the leader.

Sufi Muhammad has been acquitted from several cases because of lack of evidence. Recently, in May, he was acquitted in the Matta police station attack case. The attack had left nearly 12 policemen injured.

The meeting was attended by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) AIG investigation, DG prosecution Muhammad Arif Khattak, DIG investigation Asif Zafar Cheema, SP Naushad Ali Khan, director monitoring cell deputy Zafar Abbas Mirza, Deputy Director Legal Irshadullah Afridi and DSP Legal Ghulam Hussain.

Ways to improve communication between the investigative agency of the police and the prosecution was discussed.



The current conviction rate is 76% in magisterial courts, 28% in sessions courts and 10% in Anti-Terrorism courts, shared DG prosecution Khattak.

The DG told AIG Afridi prosecution teams would cooperate with the investigative branch in high-profile cases to timely collect evidence and improve the conviction ratio. The prosecution and investigation wing of the police will hold regular monthly meetings.

Both the DG and AIG agreed SP investigations and district prosecution across K-P should be in close contact with each other. Prosecution teams at district levels will be bound to provide assistance to the investigation wing whenever they require any information.

The head of the investigative wing will reconcile all existing data with the prosecution and forward the directives to the districts’ investigation wings at a meeting on June 17.

At the meeting, Khattak and Afridi also decided that data from criminal cases should be in accordance to the prosecution’s format and be signed by the district public prosecutor and head of investigation wings in the district. This directive would be imposed at a meeting on June 14.

AIG Afridi and DG Khattak expressed their determination to help innocent individuals at early stages of their cases.

From prison to LRH

Sufi was treated at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) on Wednesday after he complained of urological and orthopedic problems. He was referred by doctors at the Central Prison Peshawar where he is currently incarcerated.

“There were no serious health issues but he had complained about urinary and knee-joint pain, after which doctors conducted an ultrasound,” LRH Spokesperson Syed Jamil Shah told The Express Tribune. Doctors will need to revise his treatment path after a month.

Jail authorities will decide whether the follow-up will be conducted in the prison or at the LRH.

In July 2012, the Peshawar High Court ordered Sufi Muhammad’s case be transferred from Lower Dir to Peshawar; his trial is being conducted inside the prison.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13th, 2013.

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