IO told to produce witnesses in Chinese dental clinic attack case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has directed the investigating officer to produce witnesses to record their testimonies in a case pertaining to the attack on a Chinese dental clinic that left a dentist dead in Saddar in September last year.

Chinese dentist couple Dr Richard Hu and his wife Phen Teyin were wounded and their assistant Ronald Raymond Chou was killed in an armed attack by an unidentified assailant on their clinic on Preedy Street.

Three detained accused persons, Waqar Ahmed alias Khadim, Nabeel Ahmed alias Nabeel Gabool and Wazeer Ali Khushk alias Mitho Khushk, and their three fleeing accomplices have been charged with injuring the Chinese-Pakistani nationals and killing their nephew in the attack.

As the matter came up for hearing before the ATC-XVI judge, the three detained accused were produced in the court. The investigating officer, Zaffar Abbas Siyal, was also in attendance. However, no prosecution witness was present. The judge while adjourning the hearing till November 10 directed the IO to appear on the next date along with witnesses and case property.

According to the prosecution, an unidentified assailant, wearing a surgical mask and pretending to be a dental patient, came to Dr Hu’s private dental clinic and opened fire using a 9mm caliber pistol. Dr Hu and his wife, Teyin sustained gunshot injuries. Tragically, their relative and assistant, Chou, lost his life instantly in the attack.

The couple, who held dual Chinese and Pakistani nationalities, had been operating their clinic on the ground floor of a historical British-era building for many years. They resided in the Park Lane area of Clifton, while the victim, Chou, lived in Cantt Karachi.

An FIR was lodged under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 334 (punishment for Itlaf-i-udw), 337-A(i) (Shajja), 337-F(vi) and 337-F(iii) (punishment for ghayr-jaifah), 34 (common intention) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.