ATC issues show-cause notice to witness over no-show

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday issued a show-cause notice to a witness in the Intizar Ahmed murder case over his absence at the hearing scheduled for cross-examination of his statement.

Shamsheer, a prosecution witness, had deposed before the ATC about the identification of the crime scene by the accused. The defence counsels had to cross question him on his statement to the court.

Intizar Ahmed, a youth, was allegedly killed by policemen in Defence Housing Authority on January 13, 2018. According to his father, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Intizar had left home to eat out with his friends but was killed by cops who had planned to shoot him.

Eight policemen belonging to the Anti-Car Lifting Cell, including Rahim, Tariq Mehmood, Azhar Ahsan, Shahid, Fawad Khan, Daniyal, Bilal Rasheed and Ghulam Abbas, face murder trial before the ATC.

The case is on evidence stage and the court has been recording the testimonies and evidence of the witnesses. The judge issued a direction on Monday to the investigation officer to ensure the presence of Shamsheer on the next hearing.

The case was registered under the sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at the Darakhshan police station. The Counter-Terrorism Department was entrusted with the investigation.