LAHORE: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Saturday removed terrorism-related charges from the murder case of a domestic help registered against the daughter of a PML-N MPA.

Suspect in the murder case of 16-year-old Akhtar Ali is Fauzia, daughter of PML-N MPA Shah Jehan, who had appealed to the ATC to remove terrorism sections from the charges being framed against her.

Suspect’s counsel Ali Zia Bajwa said the alleged offence of physical torture on the domestic help did not attract the provisions of anti-terrorism law.

He said the suspect was on pre-arrest bail and police had not yet submitted the investigation report of the case.

ATC judge Javed Iqbal approved the request and removed terrorism charges from the case and transferred it to the district and sessions court for hearing.

The deceased and his younger sister Attiya were employed as domestic helps at the house of MPA Shah Jehan. The teenager was found tortured to death at the house.

Earlier, police investigations revealed that Fauzia had sent the boy to market to buy some utensils but he allegedly returned late. The suspect got enraged and beat up Ali who suffered critical injuries. He was taken to hospital for treatment where he was discharged after administration of first aid.

After a day or two the boy’s condition deteriorated and he died at the same house.

Akbari Gate police had registered a murder case under terrorism sections against Fauzia on the complaint of victim’s father Muhammad Aslam.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2017