Arsalan Mehsud murder case: ATC removes anti-terrorism clause

KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has approved a plea to remove anti-terrorism clause from the murder case of a teenager Arsalan Mehsud which also involves a former SHO of police as a suspect, ARY NEWS reported.

The suspect Touhid has submitted a plea to remove anti-terrorism clause from the murder case which the ATC approved and directed to transfer the case to session court.

The court ordered that the action was aimed at creating fear and could not be termed as a terrorist act.

The police had submitted a challan in the murder case of a youngster Arsalan Mehsud who was killed during what initially was declared a police encounter, only to be found otherwise after an initial probe.

The challan submitted before the anti-terrorism court (ATC) stated that the suspects murdered the youngster on the whims of former SHO Azam Gopang and later tried to give an impression of a police encounter.

A youngster, Yasir, injured in the entire episode and eye-witnesses have identified the suspects while the challan also noted that the spent casing found from the crime scene also matched with the weapon of the suspect, Touhid.

It said that Azam Gopang left his personal pistol and three bullets at the crime scene to create an impression regarding a police encounter.

“We have written letters to concerned authorities to verify armed licenses of suspects, Azam Gopang and Touhid,” the challan read while sharing that reports related to post mortem and arms licenses are not yet received.

Arsalan Mehsud, a teenage boy, was gunned down in an alleged fake encounter by Orangi Town police on the night of December 6. The uncle of the deceased student stated that his nephew was returning from his tuition centre along with his friend when he was targeted by a police party.