LAHORE - An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday ordered to hand over 16 accused, involved in two cases of damaging public and private properties, including Jinnah House (corps commander's house in Lahore), during May-9 riots, to the army authorities for their trial by the military courts.
The court ordered Superintendent Camp Jail Lahore to hand over the custody of the accused to the commanding officer for further proceedings in accordance with the law.
ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan passed the orders while allowing an application, filed by the commanding officer for custody of 16 accused. The commanding officer submitted that Sarwar Road police and Race Course police had registered two cases against the accused, Amar Zohaib, Ali Iftikhar, Ali Raza, Muhammad Arsalan, Muhammad Umair, Muhammad Raheem, Ziaur Rehman, Waqas Ali, Raees Ahmad, Faisal Irshad, Muhammad Bilal Hassan, Faheem Haider, Arzam Junaid, Mian Muhammad Akram Usman, Muhammad Hashir Khan and Hassan Shakir, and they had been sent to jail on judicial remand by the court.
He submitted that the accused were guilty of offences under Sections 3, 7 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 2(1)(d) and 59 (4) of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952. He submitted that the accused were exclusively triable by the military courts, and pleaded with the court to hand him over the accused for further proceedings, in accordance with the law.
As per the court verdict, the prosecution had not raised any objection to the commanding officer’s request.