HYDERABAD: Antiterrorism Court Hyderabad on Monday remanded in judicial custody for 15 days Nadir Jakhrani, linked to the militant Islamic State group and a key suspect in Qalandar Lal Shahbaz shrine suicide attack, as Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police initiated process for recommending the case for trial in a military court.

CTD had been interrogating Jakhrani since his arrest was disclosed on Nov 16 in Karachi. He was not linked to Hafeez Brohi group as was widely believed, said DIG Amir Farooqui, a senior CTD officer.

He said that process had been initiated to recommend the Qalandar shrine blast case for trial in a military court. “A committee comprising additional IG CTD, DIG and senior superintendent of police concerned will make recommendation to home department for approval of the case’s trial by military court,” said Mr Farooqui.

A case must meet certain parameters to qualify for trial by a military court. For instance, the case must involve a terrorist outfit and it must be high profile. There is fear that its trial may be delayed by a normal court, which may also face serious threats if the case is tried there.

Mr Farooqui said the Qalandar shrine blast — which took place on Feb 16, 2017 — met all the required parameters and was fit for trial by a military court.

He said that after due process was completed by the committee, it would be sent to home department which would further examine it under the supervision of apex committee chaired by Sindh chief minister. The apex body’s legal committee would also look into it before recommending it for trial by military court, he said.

CTD Karachi and Hyderabad investigators were also preparing to lay hands on other suspects in the case, including Farooq Bungal­zai, Aijaz Bungalzai, Saifullah, Imran and Tanvir as the department had learnt that Farooq Bungalzai was another prime suspect in the case who had fled to Afghanistan, said sources.

Mr Farooqui confirmed that proper coordination with his Balochistan counterpart was being established and raids were being conducted in Dera Murad Jamali as well to track down Bungalzai.

He said that all local hideouts of the suspect had been raided where he no longer lived. “He is (believed to be) maintaining his contacts through mobile communication software (from Afghanistan),” he said.

As per Jakhrani’s disclosures, after the blast at the shrine the group was to start kidnappings of officers and businessmen to arrange for finances for more such operations, he said.

A CTD official said that Jakh­rani led them to a place where he had stayed near Qadeemi Alam along with Barar Brohi (suicide bomber) and Saifullah.

Tanvir, Imran and Mustafa Mazari alias Doctor provided suicide jackets to Jakhrani, Saifullah and Barar, he said.

“Jakhrani told us that he and Saifullah dropped Barar in front of the side entrance of Golden Gate of Qalandar’s shrine and hurried back to reach Sehwan’s famous Jahaz Chowk,” he said.

Jakhrani was arrested in Kashmore much earlier but his detention was officially disclosed in Karachi on Nov 16 only after verifying his links, said sources.

He was identified by five witnesses during an identification parade before a judicial magistrate in Jamshoro on Nov 23 and was then produced before a judicial magistrate in Karachi on Nov 25 in connection with another case of possession of explosive material where he recorded his statement under Section 164 CrPC and confessed to his crime.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2017