The prosecution does not present sufficient evidence or witnesses against the accused
PESHAWAR:
In a significant development in one of the country’s most tragic terror cases, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Peshawar has acquitted two accused persons for lack of evidence in the 2014 Army Public School (APS) attack that claimed the lives of over 150 people, mostly school children.
The court, presided over by Justice Asad Ali, heard the case of the brutal attack on December 16, 2014, when armed terrorists of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stormed the Army Public School in Peshawar. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of more than 150 students and teachers, with around 250 others injured.
Prosecutors informed the court that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had named Shakil and Jan Wali as suspects after investigations and submitted a charge sheet against them. But the defense argued that their clients were not involved in the incident. They further argued that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence or witnesses against the accused during the trial.
Under Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code, the defense moved for acquittal, arguing that no credible evidence linked the suspects to the crime. After hearing full arguments from both sides, the court accepted the plea and acquitted Shakil and Jan Wali and discharged them from the case.
The court also declared 16 other nominated terrorists as fugitives (disappeared) and issued perpetual arrest warrants against them. The list includes prominent terrorist figures like Mangal Bagh, Haji Gul Bahadur, Commander Umar Khalid Khurasani, Commander Hafiz Saeed, Commander Aurangzeb, Commander Fazlullah, Hafiz Daulat, Qari Shakil, Qari Saifullah, Islam Farooqi, Maulvi Faqir, Ajnabi, Abwar Shaji,,, Angara Apar.
The ruling comes in the long-running trial related to the APS attack, one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Pakistan’s history. A judicial inquiry into the incident was conducted on the directions of the apex court.
