Rawalpindi - Qasim Muawiya, a man suspected of involvement in the attack on slain Punjab Home Minister Colonel (Retd) Shuja Khanzada, was sent on 14-day physical remand in the custody of the Counter-Terrorism Department yesterday.
A civil judge and magistrate awarded the remand. The court also declared the other five accused as proclaimed offenders in the case on the plea of the Counter-Terrorism Department.
According to details, a team of CTD produced Qasim Muawiya before the court of Area Magistrate/Civil Judge Shahid Hameed Chaudhry and sought his physical remand. In the plea, the CTD stated that it had arrested the accused for his involvement in Shuja Khanzada murder case and recovered 350-kg explosive, detonators and remote control from his possession.
The CTD sought physical remand of the accused which was granted by the court. The CTD also pleaded the court to declare names of five other accomplices of Qasim Muawiya as proclaimed offenders.
The court declared the five accused including Qari Suhail, Niaz, Zaheer, Imran and Awais as proclaimed offenders and adjourned the hearing till October 26.
Shuja Khanzada was killed in a suicide attack on his political office in Shadi Khan village, Attock, in August last, along with 16 others.
An initial investigation report given to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif revealed that the home minister was killed in retaliation of the killing of Lashkar-i-Jhangvi chief Malik Ishaq and others.