LAHORE - An anti terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday handed over Shaheen Air’s pilot Asmat Mehmood – who crash landed on November 3 - to police on a seven-days physical remand.The police produced the accused pilot before ATC Judge Khawaja Zafar Iqbal in strict security.
The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) counsel arguing before the court submitted that the accused had endangered lives of 120 people on-board the aircraft. He said that the accused was drunk and his negligence could have resulted into loss of lives of passengers. He pleaded the court to hand over the accused to police for investigation.
Accused Mehmood’s counsel opposed the request and submitted that his client was not drunk. “He saved the lives of all the passengers who later termed him a hero,” he said.
The court after hearing arguments of both parties handed over the accused pilot to police on a seven-day physical remand and directed to produce the accused on expiry of the remand term.
A police team from Punjab arrested the accused pilot from his residence in Karachi on November 15 after registration of a case against him under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at Sarwar Road police station on CAA’s complaint.
Carrying 121 passengers and crew, the plane reportedly touched down heavily causing its tyres to burst and skid off the runway. Passengers suffered minor injuries when hand-carry luggage in overhead cabinets fell on them. At least 10 passengers were injured when the plane crash-landed