KARACHI: An antiterrorism court asked the police on Thursday to initiate proceedings of proclamation and attachment of property of banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Mullah Fazlullah, then spokesman for the TTP Shahidullah Shahid and six others in the Karachi airport attack case.

Sarmad Siddiqui, Asif Zaheer and Nadeem, alias Burger alias Mullah, were arrested in October for allegedly providing logistical support, funds and weapons to around 10 attackers who stormed Karachi airport in June last year and were killed in a swift operation by government security forces.

Judge Bashir Ahmed Khoso of the ATC-I asked the investigating officer to initiate proceedings against the absconders under Sections 87 (proclamation for persons absconding) and 88 (attachment of property of person absconding) of the criminal procedure code when the IO submitted that the warrants issued by the court against them were not executed as their whereabouts were unknown. The court told the IO to complete the process and submit a report by Jan 26.

The investigation officer had charge-sheeted the three detained suspects and shown Fazlullah and Shahidullah Shahid, who were named in the FIR as the outlawed TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, Malik Mumtaz Awan, Asim Sharif, Abdul Rasheed Siddiqui, Akhtar, alias Plumber, Iqbal, alias Thekedar, and Abdullah Baloch as absconding accused in the case.

According to the prosecution, around 10 heavily armed militants stormed Karachi airport on the night of June 8 and were killed by army commandos and personnel of other security forces during an operation lasting about five hours. Around 25 people, including personnel of the Airport Security Force, police and Rangers were also killed, it added. The police claimed that the detained suspects belonged to Al Qaeda and the TTP.

Verdict reserved in case against Afaq

Another antiterrorism court reserved on Thursday its verdict in a case of kidnapping for ransom against Mohajir Qaumi Movement chief Afaq Ahmed.

He has been charged with abetting the abduction of a sub-divisional officer of the now defunct Karachi Development Authority in May 2001 in Korangi and demanding a ransom for his release.

On Nov 18, the court had reserved its judgement in the case after recording concluding arguments from both sides, but it was deferred as the complainant’s lawyer moved an application asking the court to examine a doctor, who had treated the captive, and a reader of an ATC judge, who had recorded in 2001 a statement of then colonel Abdul Malik of the Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, said to have played a key role in the recovery of the captive and handing him over to the police.

After recording the statements of then medico-legal officer Dr Ayaz and reader Faqir, judge Akhlaq Hussain Larak of ATC-VII reserved the verdict for pronouncement on Jan 29.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2015

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