LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday dropped Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) sections in the Kasur child abuse case.

The court also transferred the case to the sessions court for further hearing.

ATC Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas passed the order while accepting an application filed by the accused in the case.

Arguing before the court, the defence counsel submitted that Ganda Singhwala police had registered FIRs against the accused under ATA sections under media pressure. He contended that the offence did not fall under the ATA. He pleaded the court to remove ATA sections and transfer the case to an ordinary court.

The court dropped ATA sections and transferred the case to the sessions court ignoring opposition by the prosecution.

Ganda Singhwala (Kasur) police had registered 31 cases against 20 accused. Of them 25 cases were registered under sections 506, 293, 387, 386 and 377 of the Criminal Procedure Code and sections of ATA.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2016