Three Safoora attack co-accused shifted back from military custody, SHC told

AAG tells court three detainees – Naeem Sajid, Sultan Qamar Siddiqui and

Hussain Umar Siddiqui – were transferred on October 20

Three co-accused who were tried by military authorities in connection with the Safoora bus attack case have been shifted to Central Jail from Malir Cantonment, a government counsel told the Sindh High Court on Thursday.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Sajid, the father of one of the accused, Naeem Sajid, for the shifting of the co-accused involved in the Safoora attack to central prison from military custody. The petitioner submitted that his son, Naeem, along with others were tried by a military court in the Safoora bus attack case and the military court had cleared him of specific charges.

He submitted that despite his son’s acquittal, he was not being shifted to the Karachi prison. The petitioner’s counsel Khawaja Shamsul Islam submitted that the detainee be shifted to central prison so he could face a case of possession of illegal weapons pending before a sessions court. He also sought directions to the trial court for expeditious disposal of the case.

The additional prosecutor general filed a statement by the superintendent of the Karachi Central Jail and informed the court that the detainee, along with two other co-accused, Sultan Qamar Siddiqui and Hussain Umar Siddiqui, had been shifted to the jail by military authorities on October 20.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the trial court had earlier provided B-class facilities to the detainee, which were now not being provided. The AAG denied this allegation by the petitioner’s counsel and submitted that all B-class facilities would be provided to the detainee and relatives of the detainee will be allowed to meet him in prison as per jail rules and without any interference.

The lawyer also requested the court to direct the trial court to hear the case, as well as the bail application of the detainee, on a regular basis as he had been under-detention since July 7, 2015. The SHC division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, while disposing of the petition, directed the prison authorities to treat the prisoner, Naeem Sajid, strictly in accordance with the law and provide all B-class facilities extended to him by the trial court.

The court observed that it is expected from the trial court that it shall hear and decide the bail application of under trial prisoner at the earliest and proceed with the trial regularly, provided that the petitioner shall cooperate in the trial proceedings.

The court adjourned the identical petition regarding shifting of Sultan Qamar Siddiqui and Hussain Umar Siddiqui on a request by the federal and provincial law officers who sought time to file comments.

The counsel submitted that the petition was identical nature and it be disposed of in terms of the Naeem Sajid case. He submitted that Hussain Umar Siddiqui was seriously ill and proper medical treatment was not being provided to him in prison. The court directed jail authorities to ensure that Hussain be provided necessary medical treatment as per the rules and adjourned the hearing till November 4.