IHC issues notices to respondents in Osama Satti murder case

ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday issued notices to the respondents in a petition challenging the decision of an Anti Terrorism Court (ATC) for removing the clauses of Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) in Osama Satti murder case. 

A division bench of IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Fiaz Ahmad Jandran conducted hearing of the petition filed by Osma’s father Nadeem Satti who prayed to the court to turn down the decision of ATC dated April 12. 

The bench directed the respondents to submit their responses in this connection before the next hearing and deferred further proceedings till May 27. 

The petitioner adopted before the court that the anti-terrorism court had ignored various facts in its decision. He further said that the ATC had also ignored the contents of judicial inquiry report which had stated that the murder had created fear among the public. 

His lawyer contended before the court to declare the ATC verdict null and void and order to continue the trial of the murder case in the ATC. In this connection, he also gave the reference of Fahad Malik’s case. 

Then, he prayed to the court to direct the ATC to conduct the trial under ATA sections against the accused persons. 

The decision of deleting the terrorism clauses was announced by ATC Judge Shah Rukh Arjumand on petitions of detained cops seeking removal of terrorism provisions from the FIR registered against them in connection with Satti’s murder. The court, however, rejected the bail plea of the accused ATS officer Mudassar. 

The father of the deceased, however, decided to challenge the ATC’s decision before the Islamabad High Court (IHC). 

As per the FIR registered by Satti’s father, his son Osama had a quarrel with officials of the capital police a day earlier of the incident and the latter had threatened him with dire consequences.  He added that on January 2, at around 2am, Osama had gone to drop his friend at H-11. When he was returning, the police officials intercepted his vehicle and fired at him from all sides, which resulted in his death.

The judicial inquiry report into Osama Satti’s murder revealed that the youngster was not involved in any robbery and it was confirmed that he was shot 22 times despite his car being stationary. The report of the murder case proves the criminal negligence of the five shooters involved, terming them devoid of any humanity.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/27-Apr-2021/ihc-issues-notices-to-respondents-in-osama-satti-murder-case