ATC judge directs police to complete probe against detained journalist by Nov 18

KARACHI: The administrative judge of anti terrorism courts in Karachi on Wednesday sent senior journalist Nasarullah Khan, booked by the CTD under anti-terror laws and after two days of illegal confinement, to judicial custody and directed the investigation officer to complete the investigation fairly and submit the final report by November 18.

The CTD had declared the arrest of Nasraullah Khan, a senior journalist associated with an Urdu daily, on November 11 under sections 11-W and 11-F read with section 7 of the Anti Terrorism Act, alleging that hate material against the Pakistan Army and the government was recovered from his possession accusing him of having links with Al-Qaeda operative Khalid Mukashi.

Contradicting the CTD claim, Nasrullah's family members told the Sindh High Court that the journalist was picked up by the personnel of law enforcement agencies from outside his residence in Garden on November 10 without disclosing any charges. The petitioner's counsel submitted that the Solider Bazaar Police Station was intimated about Nasrullah's arrest by his spouse through an application. Journalist Nasarullah Khan claimed that he was falsely implicated in the case.

Initially, the CTD investigation officer, Ali Haider sought 12 days remand of the journalist submitting that the journalist did not record his statement under 164 Cr.P.C and he has to trace the whereabouts of the activist of a proscribed organization Khalid Mukashi and collect information about the activities of the network. However, later he filed an application under section 21-E of ATA for remanding the suspect to judicial custody. He submitted that a joint investigation team had conducted its investigations on November 13.

The President of Karachi Press Club, Ahmed Khan Malik, along with other journalists also appeared before the court and submitted that the journalist was implicated with malafide intention in the case following an illegal raid of law enforcement agencies at the KPC on November 8. Malik submitted that the journalist fraternity had staged demonstrations against the raid and harassment by the LEA at the Governor House on November 9, resulting in the senior journalist being first unlawfully confined for two days and later booked in a false and fabricated case.

He requested the court to release the journalist and quash the FIR registered on false allegations as he is a senior journalist and had nothing to do with any offence or criminal activities. The administrative judge of the ATCs Justice Naimatullah Phulpoto observed that suspect is at liberty to file an application challenging his false implication.