LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court on Saturday remanded a young boy Afnan Shafqat in five-day police custody in a case of a deadly road accident in DHA that claimed lives of six members of a family. The investigating officer stated that the custody of the suspect was required to conduct a test to determine his age and a detailed investigation. He said the suspect being an underage had no driving license.
A lawyer for the suspect maintained that his client was underage and the trial should take place in a juvenile court. He acknowledged that the incident was very unfortunate but it was a road accident. He argued that the charges of murder and terrorism did not apply in this case.
The court observed that the defence counsel’s arguments were premature and he should advance the same during the trial proceedings.
The court observed that the incident was regrettable and a thorough investigation based on truth and merit should take place to bring the facts to light.
On a complaint from the suspect’s lawyer, the court instructed the investigating officer not to harass the suspect, emphasizing that the investigation should be conducted on merit.
Separately, a sessions court summoned record of the case till November 20 on a bail petition filed by suspect Afnan Shafqat fore the addition of the murder and terrorism charges in the FIR.
The suspect sought the bail after a judicial magistrate on November 15 sent him to jail on judicial remand in the case.
Later, the police included the offences of terrorism under section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and murder under section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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