KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has fixed Feb 13 for the indictment of a suspect in a case pertaining to alleged violation of Schedule-IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

Sarmad Siddiqui, who was acquitted along with three others in a case pertaining to facilitating 2014 Karachi airport attack, has been booked for not recording his attendance with the police as required under the anti-terror law.

The matter came up before the ATC-IV judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison. Mr Siddiqui appeared before the judge. However, the judge deferred his indictment to Feb 13.

The Ferozeabad police had booked Mr Siddiqui on the grounds that the provincial authorities concerned had placed his name on Schedule-IV of the ATA requiring him to regularly visit the police station and record his good behaviour but the suspect had not been visiting the police station, thus violating the law.

In December 2020, an ATC had exonerated Mr Siddiqui along with three others for allegedly facilitating the 2014 Karachi airport attack.

Following his acquittal, the provincial authorities concerned had placed his name on Schedule-IV of the ATA, 1997.

The prosecution had alleged that on the night of June 8, 2014, around 10 terrorists carrying arms

and explosives had attacked the Karachi airport, killing 27 people including security personnel and staffers.

The terrorists were gunned down by security agencies in the overnight operation.

The responsibility of the attack was claimed by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Later, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested the four men for allegedly providing logistic support, weapons and finances to the attackers.

The court had issued perpetual warrants for the arrest of six absconding suspects — former TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid, Malik Mumtaz Awan, Asim Sharif, Akhtar alias Plumber, Iqbal alias Thekedaar and Abdullah Baloch.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021