Back to jail: Suspected terrorist’s bail application rejected

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court has denied bail to a suspected terrorist who was arrested red-handed while carrying two hand grenades reportedly meant to be used in a terrorist attack.

Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth dismissed the bail application of Ali, a resident of Multan, on Monday. Ali was arrested by Gulbahar police on December 9 last year and charged under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

According to the police, the accused was held after they received a tip-off about a man with two grenades strapped to his legs travelling in a local bus. The police report further stated Ali was also declared a proclaimed offender in a murder case in Sheikhupura, Punjab.

Making grounds for the bail plea, Ali’s lawyer told the court on Monday that there was no record available with the bomb disposal squad which could show whether the grenades were in working condition
or not.

However, Assistant Advocate General Syed Sikandar Shah said the accused man’s real name was Sufiyan but he misidentified himself as Ali to the police, which is also a crime.

Shah added Ali was arrested red-handed and the police have no mala fide intentions toward him because he belongs to another province. “A lower court has also dismissed his bail application,” said Shah.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the high court dismissed Ali’s plea.

Compensation payment

Separately, a bench of Justice Roohul Amin Khan and Justice Syed Afsar Shah put Kurram Agency’s political agent (PA) and agency education officer on notice in a case filed by two families claiming they have not been paid the promised compensation despite repeated court orders.

Asia Bibi’s husband, a theology teacher, and Iqbal Bibi’s husband, an assistant in a town municipal committee, were killed in sectarian violence in 2007. The government paid the bereaved families Rs1 million each, however, the court had already ordered that Rs3 million be paid as per the law.

The families have been forced to approach the court because the FATA Secretariat has not paid them the full amount despite several court orders. Fata additional chief secretary has already been served a notice in the case. On Monday, the high court fixed a hearing for March 19 and issued notices to Kurram PA and the agency education officer.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2015.