KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday remanded 12 men held for their alleged involvement in setting seven dumpers on fire following the death of two siblings in a fatal accident.

On Aug 10, a fast-moving dumper hit a motorcycle and crushed to death Mahnoor, 22, and her brother Ahmed Raza, 14, on main Rashid Minhas Road near the UBL Sports Complex. Enraged people took to the streets and set to fire seven dumpers within the remit of the Federal B Industrial Area and Yousuf Plaza police stations.

On Wednesday, the investigation officers of the two cases produced the suspects before the administrative judge of the ATCs at the Judicial Complex inside the central prison.

They requested the court to grant their 14-day police remand for interrogation and to arrest other absconding suspects.

The court remanded all 12 suspects in police custody for seven days and directed the IOs to submit progress reports at the next hearing.

Remand of dumper driver extended

A judicial magistrate on Wednesday extended the physical remand of a dumper driver booked and arrested for killing the two siblings in the fatal accident.

IO Fida Hussain brought dumper driver Firdos Khan before Judicial Magistrate (Central) Farman Ali Tager and sought an extension of his police remand, stating that more time was needed to verify the suspect’s documents.

During the hearing, the IO informed the court that the suspect had claimed to possess an HTV (Heavy Transport Vehicle) licence issued from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For verification, he said, a letter had been sent to the relevant authority in the province.

However, the IO added that the licence had not yet been verified, which was why Sections 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) had been added to the case. He requested more time as he awaited a response from the authorities concerned.

After hearing arguments from the defence counsel and the IO, the court extended the suspect’s physical remand for three more days and directed the IO to submit a progress report at the next hearing, scheduled for Aug 16.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025