Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Monday heard a petition seeking the cancellation of bail granted to 49 accused in connection with the March 2024 suicide attack on Chinese engineers in Bisham, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and adjourned proceedings until August 20.
During the hearing, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan asked the accused whether they intended to engage legal counsel.
Several of the accused told the court they were poor and could not afford a lawyer.
“We are poor people, cart vendors. We cannot afford a lawyer,” one of the co-accused told the bench.
Justice Afghan urged the accused to take the proceedings seriously, noting that they were facing allegations of facilitating terrorism.
The bench also observed that the suicide bomber had allegedly been using a SIM card registered in the name of one of the co-accused, Nazir.
The court directed all accused to appear at the next hearing with legal representation, warning that their bail would be cancelled if they failed to do so.
The case was adjourned until August 20.
On March 26, 2024, a suicide bombing in Bisham, in Shangla district, killed five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver as they travelled through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.