PESHAWAR, April 19: An anti-terrorism court here on Monday acquitted five people accused of firing rockets at a police station and killing a police officer in Shabqadar area.

The court, presided over by Akhter Zareef Khan, observed that the prosecution could not prove its case against the accused.

The five accused - Ali Said, Mohammad Nawaz, Arabistan, Arshad and Mohtaram Shah - were arrested by the police after some unidentified people fired rockets at police station Saro Kalae Shabqadar (Charssada district) on April 16, 2001. A policeman Atal Khan died in the attack while another received injuries.

The attack took place after the government brought about changes in the territorial limits of Mohmand Agency in 2001 and took out certain areas from agency's jurisdiction and added them into settled areas. The decision provoked an angry response from the area people who launched a protest movement. The rocket attack occurred during that movement.

The police had nominated 24 persons, who mostly led the movement, in the FIR. The five accused was earlier granted bail by the ATC. Aftab Khan advocate appeared for the accused and contended that they were falsely implicated in the case.

He argued that the evidence on record was completely silent about the involvement of the accused with the occurrence. He added that it was a case of no-witness and nobody had seen the accused while attacking the station.

ACCUSED ACQUITTED: Additional district and sessions judge Azharul Habib acquitted on Monday three persons charged with attacking a police station and killing a cop.