ISLAMABAD: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday handed the custody of 86 individuals, including two members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, to Islamabad police for two days in connection with an ‘escape’ case.

The police produced PTI MPAs Malik Liaquat, Anwar Zeb as well as 34 KP policemen and 42 Rescue 1122 employees in the court.

They are facing charges of being part of an alleged attack on a prisoner’s van in which they were being transported to Attock jail.

The prosecution argued for their custody on physical remand. The police prosecutor said a physical remand was essential to uncover details of the alleged conspiracy, recovery of any weapons and analyse video evidence. The defence counsel on the other hand opposed the physical remand and argued that the FIR implied the plan was devised in court rather than at the scene, questioning the legitimacy of the police account.

He claimed that many of the detainees, including relatives of the accused, had been unjustly held with no attempt to escape the scene as alleged.

Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra ordered that all injured suspects should undergo medical examination with a report to be presented at the next hearing. The court approved a two-day remand for the suspects, allowing police to continue their investigation.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2024