PESHAWAR: An anti-terrorism court here on Wednesday sent to prison on judicial remand a former police official and activist of Bannu Amn Passun (peaceful uprising), Jamshed Khan, arrested for sedition, inciting police officials to rebellion, and other offences.

The suspect was remanded in the custody of the counter-terrorism department for 15 days on Oct 14.

However, due to his precarious health condition, the CTD requested the court to end the suspect’s physical custody and send him to prison.

The CTD officials claimed that the suspect had been suffering from a brain tumour.

CTD claims suspect suffers from brain tumour

The suspect was initially arrested last month on the orders of the Bannu deputy commission under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance and was sent to Haripur prison.

Early this month, the Bannu Bench of the Peshawar High Court accepted the suspect’s plea and ordered his release.

However, the CTD arrested him in connection with an FIR registered at the CTD police station in Peshawar on Sept 23, 2024, under different provisions of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, Pakistan Penal Code, and Anti-Terrorism Act.

The CTD claimed that he was involved in inciting police personnel top rise against the state, defaming state institutions on social media, waging war against the country, and other offences.

Initially, he was produced before the ATC on Oct 14, and the CTD officials, including investigation officer Khalilur Rehman and director (law) Zafar Abbas Mirza, requested for his 30 days physical custody.

The court granted his 15 days custody subject to pre- and post-medical examination.

Interestingly, within three days, the condition of the suspect deteriorated and the CTD produced him in the ATC requesting to cancel or recall the police custody of the suspect and he be sent to prison.

However, the court on Oct 17 rejected the CTD’s plea, observing that the police were responsible for safe custody of the suspect and if he was suffering from ailment they were supposed to produce him before a relevant doctor in any teaching hospital for classified treatment, under the police custody and observation.

The suspect was an active member of the “peace movement” launched in Bannu district and was very vocal on social media. He was also a critic of both “good and bad” militants and was instrumental in holding peace marches and sit-ins in Bannu district.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024