Qissa Khwani blast: Alleged masterminds given four-day remand

The accused were arrested from Sara Dargai with a large cache of explosives on Oct 27.

PESHAWAR: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) ordered a four-day physical remand for militants suspected to be involved in the September 29 Qissa Khwani Bazaar attack. The court handed them over to the Khan Raziq police station for further investigation.

The accused were arrested from Sara Dargai, Frontier Region Peshawar on October 27 with a large number of explosives during a search operation. When presented before the ATC on October 28, they were sent to Central Prison Peshawar on a four-day remand.

Khan Raziq police investigation officer informed the court the detainees have been identified as Sher Zaman, Asif and Hajji Habib, and include the alleged mastermind behind the Qissa Khwani incident.

As the men are suspects in the blast, the prison administration handed them over to the police for further investigation under the directives of the court, added the officer.

He requested the ATC for an additional 10-day remand for the accused as the inquiry is still incomplete. However, ATC Judge Hussain handed the accused over to the police for four additional days, during which the investigation is expected to be completed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th,2013.