Chinese consulate attack suspects to be tried inside jail

KARACHI: The Sindh home department has issued a notification with regard to the jail trial of suspects in the Chinese consulate attack case, ARY News reported.

Upon receipt of a copy of the notification, the anti-terrorism court that has been hearing the case wrote a letter to the ATCs’ administrative judge in this regard.

According to the notification, the case is of sensitive nature which is why it is being transferred to the Central Jail Karachi for trial of the suspects there. It states that bringing five alleged facilitators of the Chinese consulate attackers to the ATC in Clifton for the trial proceedings is a security risk.

The five men — Ahmed Hasnain, Ali Ahmed alias Hashim, Mohammad Aslam, Nadir Khan alias Baladi and Abdul Latif — have been arrested over their alleged involvement in facilitating the assailants by providing them transport and medical facilities and transportation of arms and explosives.

The assailants belonging to the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) had attacked the Chinese consulate last year in November 2018.

Earlier, the court was informed that the jail superintendent had recommended to the provincial home department that their trial should be conducted inside the prison as they could not be transported from prison to the trial court owing to security threats.