CTD files interim charge sheet in Karachi airport suicide attack case

The Counter Terrorism Department has filed an interim charge sheet against two suspects said to be associated with the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in a case pertaining to last year's suicide attack near the Karachi airport that killed two Chinese nationals and a Pakistani citizen.

The investigating officer, Umer Farooq, submitted the charge sheet before the administrative judge of anti-terrorism courts, listing Muhammad Javed and Gul Nisa as suspects in custody, while naming BLA commander Bashir Ahmed alias Bashir Zeb, Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Gul, Siraj alias Danish, among others as absconders.

Junaid Baloch, said to be BLA spokesperson running social media channel 'Hakkal', and other unknown accomplices and facilitators had also been mentioned in the charge sheet.

In the charge-sheet, the IO said that in the light of the investigation, statements of witnesses and evidence collected by him, the held suspects, including the female facilitator, along with absconders Bashir Zeb, Rehman and Junaid, were found involved in the commissioning of the offence.

He stated that BLA-affiliated fugitive mastermind Bashir Zeb and Abdul Rehman Baloch, under a well-planned strategy, brainwashed suicide bomber Shah Fahad. He added that Javed conducted the reconnaissance of the blast site.

He said that the explosive-laden vehicle used in the attack entered Karachi, Sindh, from Balochistan with the help of alleged facilitator Gul Nisa. The IO said that suspect Siraj was present at the crime scene and managed to escape after the blast. After the blast, Junaid, spokesperson for the banned outfit, shared details of the attack on social media channel Hakkal.

The IO said the arrested suspects along with their absconders were found guilty of committing offences punishable under the Pakistan Penal Code’s sections 302 (murder), 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharging duty), 324 (attempted murder), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharging public functions) and 427 (mischief causing damage) read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 3/4 of the Explosive Substances Act 1908.