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Thursday March 28, 2024

CTD gets custody of cops held for obstructing jailbreak investigation

By our correspondents
October 03, 2017

Two jail officials accused of destroying evidence and threatening witnesses in the June 13 jailbreak case were remanded to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police for two days by an administrative judge of the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs) on Monday. 

Prison superintendent Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh and deputy superintendent Abdul Rehman Shaikh were arrested on Thursday by the CTD police over charges of destroying evidences and threatening witnesses in the jailbreak case of two suspected Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorists, Shaikh Muhammad Mumtaz aka Firoun and Ahmed Khan alias Munna.

This is the third case registered against the two jailers as they are facing two other cases in which their bail pleas had been accepted. The first case was registered against more than a dozen officials and employees of the central prison, while the second case was registered on the basis of recovery of heroin, mobile phones and jammers in a subsequent search operation by the Rangers inside the prison after the jailbreak in June.

The new case was registered against the two officials on the complaint of CTD inspector Shahid Karim who has been investigating one of the cases. As many as fifteen officials of the Karachi Central Prison are being tried in this case. 

This case firstly sent to a regular court and after an investigation team concluded that the two officials were creating hindrance in the probe into the escape of two suspected LeJ terrorists, the case was transferred to an ATC. The alleged LeJ militants were facing cases for their alleged involvement murders of 60 people, including law enforcers.

The latest FIR (157/ 2017) against the two jail officials has been registered with the CTD police station on behalf of the state under Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 109 (abetment), 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Treatment of criminals at hospitals

The hearing of a case pertaining to terrorism charges against political leaders was on Monday adjourned till October 14 due to the absence of two accused, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Rauf Siddiqui.

Dr Hussain’s attorney submitted a report informing that the former petroleum minister had travelled abroad for medical treatment.  Similarly, Siddiqui’s lawyer told the court that his client would be unable to attend the hearing and sought an exemption from the judge.  The court accepted the request and adjourned the case hearing till October 14.

Dr Hussain and another PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel, two MQM-P leaders Rauf Siddiqui and Mayor Waseem Akhtar, former MQM leader Saleem Shahzad, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Anis Qamikhani, Pasban Pakistan leader Usman Moaazam and others are being tried for facilitating and assisting terrorists and criminals by providing them medical treatment at two of the hospitals owned by Dr Asim Hussain. At present, all the political leaders involved in the case, which was registered by the Sindh Rangers, are out on bail. 

Shehzad bail

The District East additional district and sessions judge hearing a ransacking case against former MQM leader Saleem Shehzad revised its cancellation order and granted him bail. 

The case against Shehzad had been registered in 1992 at the Khokhrapar police station in Malir. The ex-MQM leader is alleged accused of ransacking and creating a law and order situation.

He was on bail in the case but the court had taken exception to Shehzad’s failure to seek permission before heading abroad for medical treatment.  The ex-MQM leader had obtained permission to travel from courts hearing four other cases against him. He then had to approach the Sindh High Court (SHC) against the order of the trial court and the SHC granted him interim bail in the sum of Rs75,000.  Now, the trial court too has restored its order granting bail to Shehzad.