ISLAMABAD   -  Anti-Terrorism Court - II, Islamabad Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra has ordered reopening the trial on cases against journalists who were declared proclaimed offenders last year. 

Cases were registered against Sabir Shakir, Moed Pirzada, and Syed Akbar Hussain FIR 494/23 P.S. Abpara, Islamabad, investigated by Counter Terrorism Department, Islamabad. Sabir Shakir, Moeed Pirzada, and Syed Akbar Hussain were booked last year in June after a citizen filed a complaint against them that he saw those journalists instructing the mob to create violence and unrest.  Cases registered against Shaheen Sehbai, Wajahat Saeed Khan, Adil Raja, and Syed Haider Raza Mehdi at P.S. Ramna FIR 406 have also reopened by Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra. Case registered against Shaheen Sehbai, Wajahat Saeed Khan Major (Retd) Adil Raja, and Syed Haider Raza Mehdi were also registered last year for creating social media content that aimed to create mutiny in the Armed Forces.   Cases were consigned after issuance of perpetual warrants without recording of complete evidence.    

The application was filed by the prosecution to reopen the under Section 512 CrPC. According to the court order of 16-05-2024, the purpose of section 512 CrPC is to preserve the evidence against the accused that has been absconded and there is no immediate prospect of his being apprehended. The court accepted the application of the prosecution to record the evidence of the prosecution through their witnesses. The court also ordered the prosecution to produce all the witnesses for the recording of their statements on 24-05-2024.  

Section 19 of the Anti-Terrorism Act also allows the trial courts to continue the trial in the absence of proclaimed offenders.