Witness identifies four alleged facilitators of Chinese consulate attackers

An anti-terrorism court has recorded testimony of the investigation officer against four alleged facilitators of the attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi.

Mohammad Aslam, Ahmed Hasnain, Ali Ahmed alias Hashim, and Abdul Latif — all said to be associated with the banned separatist Baloch Liberation Army — have been charged with facilitating three heavily armed militants, who were killed while attempting to enter the Chinese consulate in Clifton on November 23, 2018. They had been booked in around 10 cases pertaining to the attack and possession of illicit arms and explosives.

The cases came up for hearing before the ATC-VII judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the central jail. All the accused were produced from the prison. Accused Ali Ahmed submitted an application requesting the court to provide him counsel on state expense, which was granted and Barrister Sarah Asim Khan was appointed his pauper counsel.

Investigating officer Nek Muhammad recorded his testimony and identified the accused as the ones involved in the attack. The cases were put off until November 2 when defence counsel Sarah and Abid Zaman will cross examine him.

According to the prosecution, seven people, including three attackers, two policemen and two visitors, were shot dead in a gun-and-grenade attack on the Chinese consulate located in the high-security zone in Clifton’s Block-4.