DERA GHAZI KHAN: A special anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday issued show-cause notices to federal interior minister, interior secretary and chairman of National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), summoning them in person to explain escape of an under-trial accused abroad, who was on bail in a kidnap case.

ATC Judge Bakht Fakhr Behzad ordered the interior minister, interior secretary and Nadar chairman to appear before the court on Oct 4 in person to explain why proceedings of contempt of court under section 37(a) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 not initiated against them in the matter of absconding of one of the on-bail accused out of the country, who was involved in a kidnapping case registered at Gaddai police station, DG Khan.

The judge also issued show-cause notices to the passport department, Nadra and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), seeking clarification as to how did an under-trial accused,

Mohsin Mukhitar, escaped to Saudi Arabia despite being on bail in the case number 619/18.

As per the FIR, main accused Akbar Khosa, a resident of DG Khan, along with his accomplices, including Mohsin Mukhtiar, had allegedly kidnapped three persons at gunpoint over a land dispute in 2018.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2022