LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought arguments from the Punjab prosecution department on a point whether a sus-pect charged under the anti-terrorism law could be acquitted following reconciliation with complainant.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Abdul Sami Khan was hearing an appeal of the prosecution challenging the acquittal of PML-N MNA Abid Raza in a murder case of six persons including two police constables.

He was elected to the assembly from NA-207, Gujrat, in 2013 elections. An anti-terrorism court of Gujranwala had awarded Raza and others death sentence in 2001.

Later, he was acquitted followingreconciliation with the families of the victims. The Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice of the acquittal during an election matter pertained to the eligibility of Raza and revoked the acquittal of suspects.

The apex court had referred the matter to the high court with a direction to decide the issue of acquittal afresh.

The prosecution in its appeal argues that offenses under the Anti-Terrorism Act are non-compoundable and the suspect cannot secure his acquittal on the basis of reconciliation. The Supreme Courthad also endorsed this view in a number of judgments, it pleads.

During Thursday`s hearing, MNA Raza and other suspects appeared before the bench, but their lawyers were not present. The bench adjourned the hearing till Nov 16.

BAIL PLEA DISMISSED: The Lahore High Court dismissed on Thursday the bail petition by a teacher facing charges of blackmailing a woman by posting her morphed pictures on Facebook, a famous social networking website.

As a two-judge bench took up the petition, counsel of the suspect,Muhammad Munawar, argued that his client had no role in the alleged crime. He said police had implicated Munawar in the case only for being brother of key suspect Karamat Ali.

The counsel said his client was a teacher at a government school and the court should extend him concession of bail.

Deputy Prosecutor General Khurram Khan told the court that Karamat obtained some photographs of the complainant woman with the help of his sister.

The suspect made a fake account of the woman on Facebook and uploaded her morphed photos.

The prosecutor said Ali used the bank account of Munawar to transfer the money received out of the blackmailing of the woman. He said all the suspects had been found guilty in investigation.

The bench dismissed the bail petition.

Green Town police arrested the suspect outside the court.