The Anti-Terrorism Court-I (ATC) issued these NBWs on Saturday after the police submitted the final challan of the case under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The investigation officer of the case, Tariq Qayyum, stated that three suspects, namely Sarmad Siddiqi, Asif Zaheer and Nadeem alias Burger alias Mullah, are under custody. Qayyum added that eight others, including the TTP chief and spokesperson, are still at large.
The ATC-I judge, Bashir Ahmed Khoso, has ordered the police to arrest the absconders – Fazlullah, Shahid, Malik Mumtaz Awan, Asim Sharif, Abdur Rasheed, Akhtar alias Plumber, Iqbal alias Thekedar and Abdullah Baloch – and present them before the court on the next hearing of the case on January 8.
The police had claimed to have arrested four suspects – Siddiqi, Asif, Zaheer, Nadeem and Master Essa - from different parts of Karachi on November 28 for their alleged involvement in the airport attack. According to the police, the suspects belong to banned militant outfits and had provided logistical support, weapons and funds to the attackers in Karachi who stormed the airport. However, Essa was discharged by the police for want of evidence against him under section 169 of the CrPC.
At least 27 people, including security personnel and airport staffers, were killed on June 8 earlier this year as militants launched an attack on Karachi airport. All 10 militants were subsequently killed in a gunfight with security forces in an overnight siege of the country’s busiest airport. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by TTP, prompting the Pakistan military to carry out a major offensive, Zarb-e-Azb, against militants in North Waziristan.
The case has been registered at the Airport police station under sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (deterring public servant from duty with criminal force), 427 (causing damage), 435 (causing damage with fire or explosives), 436 (causing damage with fire or explosives with intention to destroy), 109 (abetting a crime), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and 3 (causing explosion),4 (attempt to cause explosion) and 5 (possessing explosives) of the Explosives Substances Act read with section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2014.
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why now? Don't throw dust in the eyes of the nation. The nation cannot ask for any justice. Please leave them alone, otherwise you will really sentence poor innocence people to save these terrorists. Let them go like Ramon Devas. No need to show efficiency, No one will dare to put you accountable, if some one tries, he will be responsible for his right doings. So carry on sucking this nations blood. Goodluck!