HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge on Tuesday framed charge against seven activists of the proscribed Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) in a case registered at the Hatri police station for their alleged militant activities.

The judge issued notices to all prosecution witnesses for Dec 4 for further hearing of the case.

Five of the activists — Muzaffar Hussain Nangraj, Murtaza Abro, Shakeel Ghanghro, Rafaqat Jarwar and Aarib Soomro — are in police custody. The other two, Suhanaro and Nawab, have obtained their pre-arrest bail but they too were present in the court when the charges were framed.

They were booked under FIR No. 42/18 registered under sections 353 and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and 22-A of the Sindh Arms Act.

Former Hyderabad DIG Javed Odho and former SSP Pir Mohammad Shah had on March 2 claimed that they were involved in attacks on Rangers personnel, sabotage activities aimed against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and were planning terrorist activities against Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) for its anti-India stance — all through Indian funding.

The police officers had also claimed that the suspects were pursuing the agenda of an independent Sindh, commonly referred to as ‘Sindhudesh’.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2018