KARACHI, June 16: An anti-terrorism court acquitted on Thursday seven alleged accomplices of Rehman Dakait in a case pertaining to attempt to kill policemen in a shootout with police party.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed June 16 for pronouncement of the verdict after he heard final arguments from the prosecution and defence attorneys.

According to prosecution, a team of the Anti-violent Crime Cell (AVCC) personnel was posted at Kalakot to suppress gang-war in Lyari on Jan 3 this year.

The AVCC received information about the presence of Rehman Dakait’s gang members on Faqeer Mohammad Dar Road where they were extorting money from people.

The accused allegedly opened fire on the police party and they also threw two hand-grenades. The police also returned the fire and one of the accused, Shahnawaz alias Shani, was killed on spot and accused Nazeer Bullah was injured. Inspector Shaukat Ali Shahani, the then SHO of Kalakot, and head constable Manszoor Hussain were also injured in the shootout.

The police allegedly arrested Iftikhar Ahmed, Khalilur Rehman, Sajjad Ahmed, Fareed, Mohammed Ali, Baber and injured Nazeer Bullah and seized from them unlicensed pistols and hand grenade. However, the accused disputed the time and place of their arrest and submitted before the court that they had been picked up by the police from their respective houses.