LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Thursday acquitted 19 activists of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in a case registered against them on terrorism charges and for creating disturbance and damaging state properties.

ATC Judge Ijaz Ahmad Buttar announced the decision and said the prosecution failed to prove charges against the TLP workers.

Advocate Saleem Khokhar and Advocate Sari Chaudhry represented the TLP workers in the case. The case on terrorism charges against these TLP activists had been registered in the Farooqabad police station in 2021. They were accused of creating disturbances and damaging state properties.

Those who were released included Pir Afzal Alam, Qari Muhammad Siddiq, Hafiz Muhammad Shahbaz, Haji Ijaz Shahid, Hafiz Muhammad Shahzad and Gul Zaman Khan.

In another case, the ATC extended the judicial remand of the suspect involved in killing a policeman till Aug 20. The suspect, Akarma Bukhari, and his father Sajjad Bukhari were arrested for killing a policeman during a raid at their house in Model Town in May.

A case on terrorism charges was registered against the suspects who were later arrested by police.

Ijaz Buttar was hearing the case and directed police to present the challan of the suspect. The investigator said both the suspects were members of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and shot dead constable Kamal Ahmed during a raid at their house.

The court extended the judicial remand of Akarma Bukhari till Aug 20 and adjourned the hearing.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2022