Alleged militants: PHC rejects bail plea of six detainees

Accused were arrested on November 21 for planning attacks on security forces.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court rejected bail petitions of six alleged militants, who were arrested with explosives and ammunition during a Hangu police raid, on Friday.

Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth rejected the pleas of Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Jaseem, Muhammad Ishaq, Nosherwan, Umer and Faraz who are detained on charges of having links with banned organisations.

During the hearing, the counsel of the accused informed the court his clients were arrested when police raided their house in Doaba, Hangu district on November 21, 2014.

He added his clients were falsely implicated in the case and are not in cahoots with any militant outfit. Discussing the chain of evidence, he said the weapons were recovered from one room while his clients were arrested from another. Furthermore, he said no evidence has been presented to prove the six detainees intended to attack security forces.

Additional Advocate General Mian Arshad Jan argued the case against the accused is genuine and it is not possible to concoct charges when such a large quantity of evidence is at hand. He said police had substantial intelligence information suggesting the suspects were planning to attack security forces in the area and the large cache of arms and ammo speaks for the terror bid.

The court was informed that the police recovered three rocket launchers, 23 hand grenades, 15 detonators, seven remote controls, 120 prima cards, 12 kilogrammes of explosives, multiple Kalashnikovs, rifles, anti-personnel mines, mortar shells and 42 rounds. They were stored in a room at the facility and the accused allegedly belong to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Jan maintained the usage of aforementioned weapons could have caused significant damage to personnel and state property.

Upon hearing the arguments, the court rejected the bail applications.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2015.