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KARACHI, May 15: An Anti-terrorism court sentenced on Wednesday two workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to life term for killing a ranger sepoy in an attack.
Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang of ATC-4 also imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on Nadir Shah, a former sector-in-charge of the Muttahida, and Muhammed Obaid alias Obaid Kaytoo, a party worker, for killing sepoy Dildar Hussain and wounding havaldar Mumtaz in Liaquatabad on July 21, 1998.
Accused Obaid Kaytoo was tried and convicted in absentia as he managed to come out of the jail despite being a declared absconding accused in this case.
The judge also sentenced the two Muttahida men to a 10-year term for injuring Mumtaz. A fine of Rs10,000 each was also imposed on the convicts, who would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.
The judge sentenced Nadir and Obaid to a three-year term for resorting to violent activities under section 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Another two-year rigorous imprisonment was handed down to the two Muttahida men for resorting to shootout with the police.
The judge ordered that the fines, imposed on the two convicts, would be given to the families of the dead and injured personnel. The defaulter on the payment of Rs100,000 fine would have to undergo an additional one-year term.
Special public prosecutor Feroz Mehmood Bhatti represented the state.
Earlier, the ATC had sentenced four workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, including Junaid Ahmed alias Junaid K-2, to death and the trial of Taha Hussain was separated as he was under age. The juvenile worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was also convicted in the case.
However, the Sindh High Court later set aside the trial court judgment, reducing the sentence of Junaid K-2 and acquitting the remaining three workers.
The rangers sepoy was killed when a vehicle of the law enforcement agency was fired upon near Hashmia Imambargah in Liaquatabad. Another sepoy, Mumtaz Ali, was injured in the attack. The vehicle had gone to the area to distribute food to the picketing rangers’ personnel.
As many as 14 other partymen, including Amir alias Meeru, Muhammed Arif alias Boot, Bholu, Sani, Mani and Sajid, were declared proclaimed offenders. The judge ordered that the case against the absconding accused be kept on dormant file.
ACQUITTED: The district and sessions judge, Central, Zafar Ahmed Sherwani, acquitted a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in a bomb blast case.
Zahid alias Zahid Andha, prosecuted for the bomb blast in Sharifabad on February 28, 2000, was exonerated from the charges as the prosecution could not prove its case against him.
CONVICTED: The additional district and sessions judge, Ghulam Qadir Leghari, convicted two men on three counts and awarded them rigorous imprisonment, totalling 16 years.
Shaid Chiragh and Rashid were arrested on May 6, 1998 during a shootout with police after an abortive robbery in Gulbahar.
The judge sentenced the two to a seven-year term and fined them Rs50,000 each for robbery. The defaulter on the payment of the fine will have to undergo an additional one-year term.
An identical sentenced was awarded to both of them on the count of shooting with the police party.
The judge also sentenced them to a two-year term for attempting to kill the policemen during the shootout. A fine of Rs5,000 each was also imposed on the convicts, who would have to undergo an additional one-month term in case of default on the payment.
