Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday adjourned hearing of an appeal filed by Sindh Prosecution Department against an anti-terrorism court’s decision to grant bail to three prison officials including a former superintendent of Karachi Central Prison in a case pertaining to the escape of two suspected militants who were allegedly involved in over 60 murders in indefinite period.

A division bench of the high court heard the appeal of the department.

Prosecutor General Sindh, Shahadat Awan and Counter Terrorism Department officials appeared before the court.

Awan told the court that the prosecution had to submit more evidence and materials against the prison officials booked in the case for facilitating the hardcore terrorists escape from the Central Jail. He sought more time for the purpose.

The court while allowing the plea adjourned hearing of the case for indefinite period. The department had challenged bail granted to the officials including the then superintendent Ghulam Murtaza Shaikh, Deputy superintendent Faheem Anwar Memon and Assistant superintendent Abdul Rehman Shaikh in a case registered against them for allegedly facilitating the suspected hardcore terrorists of LeJ in their escape from the highly-guarded prison.

The department in its appeal said that the escape of hardcore terrorists from the highly-guarded prison was a very serious issue. It said that the escape of alleged terrorists from positions can not be overlooked or ignored.

It added that the accused were facing serious charges of facilitating terrorists in their escape and gross negligence in discharge of their duties. The petition pleaded the high court to cancel the bail granted to the accused by the ATC.

It is to be mentioned here that three prison officials along with 12 other officials and personnel had been arrested for their negligence in the escape of the suspected Lashkar-i-Jhangvi militants, Shaikh Mohammad Mumtaz alias Firaun alias Sher Khan and Mohammad Ahmed Khan alias Munna, from the jail premises on June 13. The three suspended officials through their counsel had moved bail applications and after hearing arguments from both sides, the judge of ATC-VIII had granted bail to each of them against a surety bond of Rs100,000.

Published in Daily Times, August 26^th 2017.