KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court quashed 19 cases pertaining to possession of explosive substances and illicit weapons against around 10 militants who stormed Karachi airport in June and were killed in a swift operation, it emerged on Monday.

The Airport police booked the 10 unidentified militants in 19 cases (FIR Nos. 88/14 to 106/14) under Sections 4/5 of the Explosive Substance Act and 23(1)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013.

Police submitted reports against the unidentiñed attackers about recovery for Kalashnikovs, suicide vests, automatic rifles, rocket launchers, hand-grenades and other explosives and weapons from their possessions.

The investigation reports were filed as required under Section 173 of the criminal procedure code in 10 explosive substances and nine illicit weapons cases.

However, the police asked the court to cancelthe cases since allthe suspects had been killed. The identity of the slain attackers could not be ascertained, it added.

An ATC quashed the cases af ter accepting the police reports.

The main case (87/14) was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted to murder), 353 (criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 427(mischief casing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage etc.), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code and 4/5 of the Explosive Substances Act read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.The arrest of some suspects was reported by a section of the media on Sept 10 for abetting the offence in Nawabshah, where the attackers had reportedly purchased and activated their subscriber`s identification modules (SIMs). However, no suspect has so far been produced in court.

Witness turns hostile A complainant on Monday turned hostile before an anti-terrorism court in an extortion case.

Danish Rabbani has been charged with demanding protection money from complainant Hafiz Mansoor, who runs a bookshop, earlier this year by putting him in the fear of death in Nazimabad.

The prosecution said that the accused was caught red-handed when he came to collect the extortion money from the complainant and the police found protection money and an unlicensed weapon in his possession.

However, the complainant appeared before an ATC on Monday and deposed that the arrest of the accused and recoveries were not made in his presence.

The prosecutor declared the witness hostile under the Qanun-e-Shahadat Order, 1984 stating that he had deviated from his previous stance and sought permission to cross-examine him.

During questioning, the complainant admitted that he was in a state of fear and insecurityaftertheincidentandhisbusiness was also badly affected.

A case was registered under Sections 358 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act at the Rizvia Society police station