KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court remanded on Tuesday five suspected militants in prison in seven cases pertaining to police encounter, explosive substances and illicit weapons.

The crime investigation department of the police claimed to have arrested Qari Shahid Usman, Asad Khan, Mohammad Fawad Khan, Shahid Ansari and Usman, aka Islam, on Dec 11 in the old Hjai camp area after a shootout and found explosive material and weapons in their possessions.

After the end of their physical remand, the police reproduced the suspects before the court and submitted that the suspects belonged to Al-Qaeda and were trying to activate the banned organisation in the city.

The police sought extension in their remand for further questioning while the defence opposed it.

The judge of the ATC-III, Saleem Raza Baloch, sent them to prison on judicial remand till Dec 22 and asked the police to submit investigation reports till next hearing.

They were booked under Sections 324 (attempted murder), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 4/5 of the Explosive Substance Act and Section 23-(i) (a) of the Sindh Arms Act 2013 read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2014