[DAWN] An undertrial prisoner, who was being tried for possession of explosives, beat feet from police custody on Monday when he was produced for his hearing at Bloody Karachi...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
's Anti-Terrorism Court-IX.
Tanveer alias Jumbo was under the custody of the special investigation unit after he was incarcerated
Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try!
in Karachi's Ibrahim Hyderi in 2014 and a case (FIR 241/14) was registered under Sections 4/5 of the Explosives Subtances Act, 1908.
The act mentions punishment for 'attempting to cause an kaboom or possessing explosives with the intention of endangering life or property or keeping them under suspicious circumstances'.
Police had claimed that hand grenades and other bombs were recovered from Tanveer's possession at the time of arrest.
A hearing for evidence in this case was fixed at ATC-IX today and the prisoner was brought to court from Central Jail. He was being escorted by a policeman when he apparently managed to unlock his handcuffs and escaped.
Karachi's ATCs are housed at Sindh Secretariat where there are no boundary walls on the premises.
Initial reports suggest that Tanveer may have escaped easily and did not meet resistance at the gate, where a large number of secretariat employees enter and exit from, as he was not handcuffed.
In the past, the higher judiciary had suggested shifting ATC courts to more reasonable premises but the provincial government is yet to comply.