In the balance: Anti-terrorism court to decide Sufi Muhammad’s fate

The cleric has been booked in 13 cases, acquitted in 10 so far.

PESHAWAR/ DARGAI:

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) will decide the fate of Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad on January 24 in a case pertaining to a speech he earlier delivered.

The case hearing over the speech delivered in Timergara was conducted behind the fortified walls of Central Prison Peshawar on Saturday. Sufi, who is the father-in-law of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah, has been detained at the facility for the past several years.

The ATC issued arrest warrants of three others wanted in the said case and summoned them for the next scheduled hearing. The court was informed that the three had obtained bail and were since absconding. The hearings of two other cases against Muhammad, pertaining to Kabal police station attack and Grassy Ground speech in 2009, were also adjourned till January 31.

In total, 13 cases have so far been registered against the TNSM chief, who was detained by security forces during the Swat military operation. The cases include various instances of inciting violence, sedition and extending direct and indirect support to militancy.

As of now, Muhammad has been acquitted in 10 cases while the remaining are sub judice. The outlawed TNSM is widely regarded as the mother organisation of militant groups that expedited anti-state activities in Swat Valley until a few years ago. Lack of evidence and inadequate prosecution have been the fundamental reasons behind the acquittals. The cleric has a history of arrests and releases.

On December 17, the court dismissed an acquittal application of Sufi Muhammad and his accomplices in the under-trial Kabal police station attack case. The charges include attempted murder, sedition, and bearing arms under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

In November 2014, Muhammad, along with 30 accomplices, was acquitted in two murder and sedition cases that date back to 1995. On October 7, 2013, he was acquitted in another sedition case. Following his most recent arrest in 2009, Muhammad’s case proceedings were initiated in Timergara but were later shifted to Central Prison Peshawar’s camp court following security threats.

The court is expected to indict the cleric and his accomplices in the under-trial Timergara speech case on January 24.

To the gallows

An additional district and sessions judge awarded the death penalty twice to an accused convicted in a double murder case in Dargai, Malakand on Saturday. Kamal Khan was arrested for killing brothers Fazl Subhan and Muhammad Usman and injuring Amir Zaman, Luqman and Jamshed on July 27, 2012.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2015.