KARACHI, July 27: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi, headed by Judge Arshad Noor Khan, on Tuesday acquitted 10 activists of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan in a killing case.
SSP activists Mansoor Ali Babar, Umer Hayat, Karimullah, Ahmed Zahoor, Hafiz Ahmed Bux, Syed Asif Ali, Muhammad Fazil, Khawaja Saleemuddin, Atiqur Rehman and Ishtiaq Ali were prosecuted on charge of killing three persons and injuring seven others by firing on Feb 4, 1995, in Gulberg area Karachi.
The court in its judgment observed that the killing case has not been made out against the accused and they are acquitted in said charges. According to prosecution, the accused attacked a club in Gulberg area and opened fire on people inside.
It resulted in the death of Mohammad Abbas Naqvi, Javed Iqbal and Syed Faraz Raza while seven others Mirza Mohammad Raza, Mohammad Khan, Shakirullah, Nadeem, Azmi, Syed Mohammad Naqi, Shakirullah received injuries.
Special Public Prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa appeared for the state, while S M Iqbal, M R Syed, advocates, are representing the defence side. The accused were awarded death sentence in three sectarian killing cases by trial court on Nov 27, 1995, but the Sindh High Court in April 2004 set aside their convictions and acquitted them from killing charges except accused Asif Ali, Mohammad Fazil and Khawaja Saleemuddin.
HEARING PUT OFF: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of trial against Shahnawaz alias Shani, an activist of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, who is being tried for his alleged involvement in Suparco bus killing case.
An application was filed by mother of the accused seeking three days time to engage a private counsel for proceeding the case for defence side. ATC, headed by Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti, who is conducting the trial in central jail Karachi, granted the application and fixed the matter for July 31, 2004.
According to prosecution, accused along with absconding accused Asif Choto and Shaukat attacked a Suparco bus with automatic weapons, carrying employees of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organization (Suparco) for Friday prayers, at Hub River Road, Mauripur area Karachi on Oct 3, 2003.
Six people, Athar Ali, bus driver Mohammad Qasim, Hashim Raza, Raza Ali, Hawaldar Mohammad Rafiq Shahid and Syed Wasiul Hasan Zaidi died on the spot while Munawar Ali Zaidi, Asghar Zaidi, Syed Itrat Hussain, Ali Hussain, Asif Ali Jafri, Aslam Abbas and Pervez were injured in this attack. Special Public Prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti is representing the state.
BLAST CASE: An anti-terrorism court in Karachi on Tuesday recorded the statement of three prosecution witnesses in honorary Macedonian consulate bomb blast and killing case, being tried against nine activists of banned Harkatul Mujahideen Al-Alami.
Syed Sohail Akhtar alias Mustafa, Zafar Iqbal alias Sohail, Naeem Rafi alias Nimi, Mohammad Atif alias Kamran, Mohammad Khalid, Mahmoodullah, Abdul Razzaq alias Bhaiya, Samirullah alias Somi and Syed Ahmar Kazmi are being tried in ATC-V, headed by Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch.
It is charged that accused allegedly killed three persons, Hameed Masih, Mohammad Asif and Ms Ghazala Parveen at mid-night on Dec 5, 2002, who were present at office of honorary Macedonian consulate in DHA area Karachi and later they caused a blast in the office with an explosive devise.
Judicial Magistrate South Muhammad Anwar Memon, who conducted the identification parade of the accused on April 17, recorded his statement. He stated that three eye-witnesses identified the seven accused. -PPI
