ATC issues show-cause notice to IO in Saddar blast case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has issued a show-cause notice to the investigation officer over failure to produce witnesses to testify against three accused in a case pertaining to an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Saddar.

A person was killed and several others were injured in the blast on the Daud Pota Road on May 12, 2022. The outlawed Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army had claimed the responsibility for the attack, stating that a Pakistan Coast Guards vehicle was the target.

As the case came up for hearing before the ATC-XII judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, two detained accused Dilber Ali Dero and Abdul Sattar were produced by the jail authorities, while Abdul Qayyum Jamali turned up on bail. The investigation officer, Inspector Zaffar Abbas Siyal, was called absent.

The judge issued a show-cause notice to the IO for failing to produce prosecution witnesses and police file by appearing in person despite the court having issued strict directions through the SSP concerned.

The IO was told to appear on the next date along with prosecution witnesses, police and case property if any, as well as a written explanation to the show-cause notice.

According to the prosecution, the accused along with their accomplices had facilitated and carried out the explosion. Dilber, a former Rapid Response Force cop, acted as the main facilitator in the blast, it said.

Two FIRs were lodged by the CTD-South under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 and Sections 3 (punishment for causing explosion likely to endanger life or property) and 4 (punishment for attempt to cause explosion or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) of the Explosive Substance Act.