KARACHI, April 8: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Tuesday judgment in a murder case against two workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed April 12 for the pronouncement of the verdict after hearing final arguments by the prosecution and the defence.
Imran alias Munna and Mujahid are being prosecuted for killing constable Mehboob in Orangi Town in January 2001.
According to prosecution, constables Muhammed Hanif and Mehboob Alam were on intelligence duty on their motorcycle when the accused intercepted them. One of the accused shot and injured constable Alam.
The injured, who had sustained a bullet on his upper torso, was admitted to the hospital, where he underwent surgery for three times during the period of one year.
Meanwhile, the police arrested the accused on June 21, 2001, for possessing unlicensed weapons. During the interrogation, it was revealed that the accused were also involved in the attack on the policemen.
The police submitted charge-sheet against the accused in the sessions court for injuring the policeman.
While the case was still pending, the injured cop died on November, 2002. Later, the case was transferred to the ATC for trial.
Special public prosecutor, Naimat Ali Randhawa, examined in all nine prosecution witnesses, including Mohammed Hanif, who was with the deceased cop at the time of the attack.
The accused were represented by S. M. Alam.
FRENCHMEN KILLING CASE: Judge Feroz Mahmood Bhatti of the ATC-2 adjourned the hearing of the Frenchmen killing case against two accused after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the jail, fixed April 10 for the next hearing after the Dr. Nasir Ali Shah, the medico-legal officer, who had conducted autopsies on the bodies of three of the victims, deposed in the case.
The prosecution witness was cross-examined by M. R. Syed and Gohar Iqbal, counsel for the two accused in custody. Mohammed Ashraf Mughul, counsel appointed on state expenses for two absconding accused, Mohammed Saeed and Adnan Qamar, also cross- examined the PW.
Mohammed Asif Zaheer and Rizwanullah, who were allegedly trained in a camp belonging to Harkat Jihad-i-Islami in Afghanistan, are facing charges of killing 11 French naval engineers and two Pakistanis in a suicide bomb attack last year.
The French engineers, who were helping Pakistan build its Agosta 90-B submarine, were killed when an explosive-laden vehicle rammed into their bus outside the Sheraton hotel.
The bus of the Pak Navy, carrying the French engineers, was about to move in front of Sheraton Hotel on Club Road in the morning, when a car stopped beside the bus and blew up with a bang, also destroying it completely and causing damage to the shops located at the ground floor of the Pearl Continental and Sheraton Hotels.
The victims included Leclerc Jean Yves, Bled Cedric, Groux Pascal, Le Carpentier Daniel, Chevassut Jean Michel, Leconte Pascal, Drouet Claude, Dupont Bernard. A Pakistani woman was also among the dead.
Meanwhile, the court allowed an application of the prosecution for summoning two MLOs as prosecution witnesses.
Special public prosecutor, Maula Bux Bhatti, assisted by Mazhar Qayyum, had sought the court’s permission to examine Dr Akhtar Khan Raja, who issued the cause of death certificate, and Dr Sajid Qureshi, who had examined some of the injured.
SALIM QADRI MURDER CASE: Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi of the ATC- 1 deferred the pronouncement of the judgment in the Salim Qadri murder case against a worker of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan, Mohammed Faisal alias Pehalwan.
The judge, who has conducted the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed April 10 for the verdict.
The ST chief and five others were killed on May 18, 2001 in Baldia Town in an ambush, while they were being driven to a mosque for Juma prayers.
CASE AGAINST LAHORI: Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5 put off the hearing of a sectarian killing case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Akram Lahori, and two others after recording the statement of a prosecution witness.
The judge, who is conducting the trial inside the Central Prison, Karachi, fixed Wednesday (April 9) for the next hearing after the statement of a judicial magistrate.
JM Mehboob Ali Dayo, who conducted the identification parade of the accused, was also cross-examined by the defence counsel.
