KARACHI, Feb 26: The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ghulam Qadir Leghari, framed charge against Faizanullah, Nazim UC-9, Gulberg town, an accused in the murder case of two activists of the MQM.

According to prosecution, some unidentified gunmen shot and killed Salman Farooqui (unit in charge) and Masood Farooqui. The police later booked Faizanullah, Jamal alias Khalil, Atif, Syed Munawwar Hasan and Mairaj-ul-Huda of the Jamaat-i-Islami.

When the case was called on Wednesday, the investigating officer submitted the final charge-sheet deleting the names of Syed Munawwar Hasan and Mairajul Huda stating that no proof of their complicity in the said crime had been detected.

The ADJ then proceeding with the matter framed the charge against the accused who pleaded not guilty. The court then summoned the prosecution witnesses on March 12 while repeating non-bailable warrants of arrest of absconding accused Jamal and Atif.

Iqbal Aqeel, counsel for Faizanullah, submitted bail application of the accused which was fixed by the court on March 1.

Meanwhile, two more prosecution witnesses will depose before Mr Arshad Noor Khan, judge of the anti-terrorism court (ATC-I), on Thursday in an abduction-for-ransom case against Sohail alias Commando of the MQM and three others.

The other accused are: Adeel, Nauman and Huma alias Bano who allegedly abducted Saeed. They demanded Rs 10 million as ransom but while they were negotiating, the abductee fled from their custody and led the police to a place where he was confined in illegal custody.

Earlier, Khawaja Naveed, counsel for accused, cross-examined the prosecution witnesses, including complainant and police official who lodged the FIR besides two more witnesses who deposed before the trial court today. —APP