8 suspects handed over to military for trial

RAWALPINDI: Eight persons allegedly involved in attacks on sensitive military installations on May 9 were Monday handed over to the military court for trial under the Pakistan Army Act and Official Secrets Act 1952.

According to the sources, four suspects were involved in attacking the GHQ and the other four in damaging the property in the garrison area falling in the Civil Lines police jurisdiction. The anti-terrorism court (ATC) directed that the eight suspects be handed over to the military for trial. The court decided to hand over the suspects on a written request submitted by military officers Farhan Nazir Qureshi and Muhammad Yasir Nawaz Cheema, each seeking the custody of four suspects detained at the Adiala Jail. Farhan Nazir Qureshi sought the custody of suspects nominated in a case registered by the Civil Lines police, while Yasir Nawaz Cheema sought the custody of suspects booked in a case registered by the RA Bazaar police.

The order said the suspects be handed over to the military for committing offences under Sections 3, 7 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1952 read with Section2(1)(d) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, (which are) exclusively triable by a military court.

Citing two previous cases, the court accepted the commanding officers’ request under 549(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, read with Rule 7(f) of the Criminal Procedure (Military Offenders) Rules, 1970, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the law-enforcement agencies have intensified their efforts to arrest the PTI leaders involved in attacking and damaging the GHQ and other sensitive military installations, the police sources said, adding that the location of the former Punjab minister Raja Basharat and other suspects had been marked and they would be hunted down soon. The sources said Raja Basharat was wanted for attacking the GHQ and was booked under FIR No. 708/23 lodged by the RA Bazaar police.