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PESHAWAR, July 15: Two activists of a proscribed sectarian organisation, Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, declined to confess their guilt before a court here on Monday and were sent to judicial local-up.
The accused, Hafiz Ishfaque and Sadaqat Khan, claimed before the court of judicial magistrate, Fazal Sattar, that they were innocent. One of the accused, Hafiz Ishfaque, arrested a few days back here from Bhadabher area, belongs to Sheikhupura (Punjab) and was allegedly required in eight cases of sectarian killings.
The officials of Crimes Investigation Department (CID), accompanying the accused, claimed that Hafiz Ishfaque carried a head money of Rs0.3 million.
The other accused, Sadaqat, was stated to be a messenger of the organisation who allegedly provided sanctuary to fugitives of his organisation after they committed any offence in Punjab or any other part of the country.
The accused were produced before an anti-terrorism court amidst heavy presence of CID officials.
The investigation officer told the court that the accused had confessed commission of various crimes and they were willing to record their statement before the court.
The presiding officer of the court, Akhter Zareef Khan, referred the two accused to court of judicial magistrate for recording their statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
However, the accused, when produced before the magistrate, refused to confess their guilt. Hafiz Ishfaque told the newsmen that he did not want to comment on these cases, but the only thing he could say was that he was innocent.
WARRANTS: An anti-terrorism court here on Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants of four members of a proscribed sectarian outfit accused in the decades-old Kohati sectarian violence case.
The court had earlier issued notices to the four accused — Jehangir, Abid, Saleem and Ali Shah — but they did not turn up before the court.
About a dozen activists of Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan have been facing trial for the worst ever sectarian violence in the provincial capital during which ten persons were killed in 1992 when a Moharam’s procession was passing through Kohati area here.
The court fixed July 29 for the next hearing. The court also adjourned hearing of another trial, pertaining to the same period, against activists of Tehrik-i-Jafria Pakistan to July 22. All the accused were present and were asked to appear on next hearing.
Public Prosecutor Sher Muhammad appeared for the state.
