Yet again, Pak court acquits men accused of terror attacks for lack of evidence

LONDON - In a decision that raises serious questions over the Pakistan government’s ability to investigate and solve cases concerning major terror attacks, a Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court has acquitted nine men, who were accused of plotting two deadly attacks, including the one in which a top army official was killed.

All the nine men, who were charged with planning the February 2008 terror attack in which 16 people, including Lieutenant General Mushtaq Baig, were killed and dozens wounded, were set free by the court, which said there was not enough evidence against them.

“Due to lack of evidence, no charges can be proved against the accused,” BBC quoted judge Malik Akran Awan, as saying.

However, the court said the men would be held in “preventative custody” at home, saying they were still under investigation.

Commenting on the judgement, public prosecutor Bilal Ahmed claimed that ’several witnesses and lots of evidence’ were produced in the court concerning the case, but it announced the judgement in favour of the accused persons.

The court’s verdict came just days after an anti-terrorism court acquitted four people involved in the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in which about 60 people, including five foreigners were killed nd over a hundred injured, over lack of evidence. (ANI)