PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court’s single-member bench on Tuesday granted bail to a suspected militant arrested by the local police on charges of collecting extortion for a proscribed organisation and possessing explosives.

Justice Ijaz Anwar accepted a petition filed by the suspect, Sohaib Khan, a resident of Jamrud in Khyber district, observing that the petitioner was entitled to the concession of bail keeping in view the evidence on record.

The petitioner’s counsel stated that the police claimed they had arrested the suspect on May 13 from Hayatabad Township, and had recovered a hand grenade from him. He added the police also alleged his client was a member of banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and was collecting extortion money for it.

The counsel contended that the petitioner was taken into custody from his hujra in Jamrud in April by the security forces and had been kept in illegal detention for many days. Later, he contended, to cover up their wrongdoings the security forces handed over the petitioner to police who charged him in a fake case. He added this was a case of enforced disappearance.

The suspect’s counsel argued that while the prosecution claimed that a hand grenade was recovered from his client’s possession, so far no report of bomb disposal unit had been submitted to prove the claim. He added there was no evidence on record or statement of any person to show that the petitioner was collecting extortion money, or had affiliation with any banned outfit.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2020