Anti-Terrorism Court Denies Bail to Ahmed Farhad Shah

Anti-Terrorism Court Denies Bail to Ahmed Farhad Shah/ANI

VoM News Desk | June 6, 2024 | 10:35 AM IST | Pakistan News, World | Follow on Google News

Anti-Terrorism Court Denies Bail to Ahmed Farhad Shah

Anti-Terrorism Court Denies Bail to Ahmed Farhad Shah

Key Highlights:

1. Ahmed Farhad Shah’s bail plea rejected by PoJK anti-terrorism court.
2. Shah was abducted from Islamabad, later found in police custody near PoJK border.
3. Court cited inflammatory social media activity as grounds for rejecting bail.

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has denied bail to Ahmed Farhad Shah, who was forcefully abducted from his Islamabad residence on May 15 and later found in custody of Gujjar Kohala police near the PoJK border with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on May 29. The court ruled that the legal arguments presented by Shah’s counsel were inapplicable to the case, according to Dawn.

Shah’s abduction and subsequent discovery came amidst a high-profile hearing at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) regarding his safe return. The IHC had summoned defense and intelligence secretaries and framed 12 questions concerning the roles and responsibilities of spy agencies.

Initially, the Saddar police station’s FIR from May 13 was kept secret but was later revealed to charge 150-200 unidentified individuals for inciting violence and attacking a paramilitary convoy. The accusations were linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) protests.

Shah’s counsel, Karam Dad Khan, argued that Shah was not named in the FIR and was wrongfully implicated. He emphasized Shah’s presence in Islamabad during the protests and the lack of internet access in PoJK, which would have made orchestrating the alleged acts impossible.

Prosecutors countered that Shah was identified through social media investigations, where he allegedly posted provocative and false information. The special prosecutor contended that Shah incited hatred against law enforcement, leading to additional charges.

Special Judge Mahmood Farooq concluded that Shah’s social media posts were inflammatory and exaggerated the violence during the protests, thus escalating public hostility towards law enforcement. Consequently, the court found sufficient grounds to deny the bail plea, linking Shah to the offences specified in the FIR.

VoM News Desk

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