Pak Chief Justice: Sectarian act is terrorism

The Supreme Court directed anti-terrorism court to expedite the case of legislator Asif Ashraf, who, along with three others, was gunned down in Lahore on February 17, 2008

Pakistan Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has said that sectarian killings would be counted as terrorism.

The Supreme Court earlier admitted an appeal filed by Kashif Ali, a brother of deceased legislator Asif Ashraf, and transferred the case to an anti-terrorism court.

The court directed the ATC to expedite the case and ensure its disposal at the earliest. On February 17, 2008, four people, including Asif Ashraf, were gunned down in Lahore.

According to reports, the gunmen fired at the vehicle of Asif Ashraf when he was visiting his constituency in Lahore.

In the appeal filed in the Supreme Court, Kashif Ali submitted that the accused, Tariq Hakim, had filed an application for the transfer of the case. However, he said that the judge, ATC Lahore, dismissed the application of the accused on July 13, 2010.

Later, he said that the accused filed a constitutional petition before the Lahore high court which was allowed vide judgment dated August 16, 2010, directing transfer of the case from a special court for trial to a regular court.

Kashif Ali in his appeal contended that indiscriminate firing at a public place on the polling day in general elections was carried out, which resulted in the murder of four persons, including his brother Asif Ashraf, a contesting candidate to a provincial assembly. He said that the offence was committed under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

The petitioner had contended in the appeal that the cumulative fallout of the incident was to terrorise the general public and the intention of assailants could be judged from their act, selection of time and place of occurrence.

He added that it created a sense of fear in the society amounting to terrorism.