Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Rana Sanaullah Khan has directed the District Police Officers (DPOs) to ensure implementation of Anti-Terrorism Act in their concerned districts. He said this while presiding over a meeting on Thursday to review the implementation of decisions taken in earlier meetings regarding cases pending in Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs).
The Advisor to the Chief Minister (CM) Jehanzeb Burki, Secretary Home, Nadeem Hassan Asif, Secretary Public Prosecution, Shaigan Sharif Malik, IG Prisons, Farooq Nazeer, Additional IG Investigation, Salahuddin Niazi, Additional IG CID, Malik Muhammad Iqbal, Additional Secretary Prosecution, Deputy Secretary Home, DIGs Special Branch, Investigation and SSP Investigation, Rana Sanaullah Khan were also present in the meeting.
Rana Saifullah, who is also the Chairman of the Committee constituted to monitor these cases, said that progress regarding challans submitted to ATCs or dropped as the result of investigation and report regarding stage of investigation, should be submitted before the Committee on weekly basis.
He directed the SSP Investigation to submit detail of cases under investigation for the last six months. The Minister was informed that the ATC disposed of 89 cases in the month of July this year in Punjab. The Secretary, Prosecution, presented details of cases of multiple murders, police encounters and cases to be put on trial in the ATC.
He intimated that out of 124 cases falling in the above categories, the Sub-Committee has recommended 27 for transfer to the ordinary courts besides 110 under the Arms Ordinance and 67 of miscellaneous nature. The SSP informed the meeting that only 13 cases were registered from 28.07.2008 to 04.08.2008.
The Minister directed Prosecution Department to prepare a list of the cases pending in courts for more than one year. He said that in case of delay in court decisions, the Prosecution Department would record reason. In addition, the Secretary Home intimated the meeting that the recommendations of the Sub-committee regarding amendments in the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, would be submitted to the Federal Government shortly.