KARACHI: Local govt minister acquitted in three cases
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 29: Mohammed Hussain, Sindh Minister for Local Government, was on Tuesday acquitted in three criminal cases, including a murder case, by an additional district and sessions court of district East.
Judge Sagher Hussain Zaidi, who pronounced judgments in the presence of the minister around 1pm, exonerated Mr Hussain and two other Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers as the prosecution failed to produce witnesses in the court.
Mr Hussain, also a Muttahida leader, and a former councillor, Aziz Ahmed, were booked on July 10, 1995, by the Korangi police for killing two unknown Bengali-speaking people.
The other two cases, both pertaining to violent activities, were also registered by the Korangi police on Sept 3 and Oct 17, 1995.
Three party workers, Zafar Qureshi, Wali Mohammed and Aziz councillor, were co-accused in two cases with Mohammed Hussain, who was represented by Rao Sharif, advocate.
Mohammed Hussain, who was booked in as many as 58 cases, is still facing trial in four criminal cases. He was arrested on Sept 11, 1999, and was bailed out in December 2001.
SENTENCED: The additional district and sessions judge, South, Farooq Ali Channa, sentenced a man to suffer a five-year term for attempting to kill a policemen during a shootout.
Nasarullah alias Jack, booked by the Preedy police on April 19, 2000, was convicted after he pleaded guilty before the trial court. The judge did not impose fine on the convict due to his confession.
Meanwhile, the additional district and sessions judge, East, Sagheer A Ranan, convicted a man for attacking and injuring a woman in her house.
Accused Haji Rustum had tresspassed into the house of Aysha and beat her up.
The judge sentenced the accused to a four-year term for trespassing. A fine of Rs2,000 was also imposed on the convict, who would have to undergo an additional six-month term in case of default on the payment.
The judge handed down a six-month term to Haji Rustum for quarrelling with the woman and ordered him to pay Rs1,000 to the victim as compensation.
The accused was sentenced to a two-year term for injuring the woman. The judge ordered him to pay Rs2,000 to the woman for the offence.
MAJOR ZARGHAM CASE: The judicial magistrate, South, Rahmat Ullah Moro, granted the application of the inspector general of police (IGP), Sindh, seeking exemption from appearing before the court.
The JM had earlier issued summons to the provincial police chief on the request of Major Zargham Mirza in connection with the inquiry into a direct complaint against the former chief of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee and 19 others, including a senior superintendent of police, for involving an army officer in a Hudood case.
Major Muhammed Zargham Mirza had lodged a direct complaint before the judicial magistrate for registration of criminal case against 20 respondents, including Jamil Yousuf and A. D Khawaja, under section 182, 500 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Those made respondent in the complaint included: Zaeem Iqbal, ASP, Lubna Tiwana, then SHO of Women Police Station, Inspector Abdul Hakim Bangash, Azhar Ellahi and Sharf Memon.
Mr Mirza had cited the IGP as one of his witnesses and requested the court to call him.
