KARACHI, Aug 26: The district and sessions judge, South, Agha Rafique Ahmed Khan, reserved on Saturday order on the acquittal pleas of a ruling party member of Sindh Assembly in the Eshwar Lal case against six MPAs.
Five of the accused -- Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, leader of opposition in the provincial assembly, and three other PPP MPAs, Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi, Mohammad Nawaz Chandio, Mohammad Saleem Hingoro and Murad Ali Shah, son of former Sindh Chief Minister Syed Abdullah Shah, belonged to the Pakistan People’s Party, while the sixth MPA, Murad Ali Shah, belonged to the ruling PML.
The MPAs were booked under Sections 324, 506-B, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code for attempted murder on the complaint of the ruling party MPA by the Preedy police on June 26.
The police had cited Murad Ali Shah, a resident of Nausherho Feroz, as fifth accused in the case. The MPA from Naushero Feroz belonged to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) and the court had also issued his non-bailable warrants for the arrest. The ruling party MPA, however, obtained pre-arrest bail from the court on the grounds that he was the namesake of the actual suspect in the case.
The court also reserved order on the application of the investigation officer of the case, Sub-inspector Munir Ahmed, who sought withdrawal of the case against the ruling party MPA.
Shahadat Awan, counsel for PPP MPAs, vehemently opposed the acquittal application of the ruling party MPA, Murad Ali Shah. He contended that the police had cited the accused ruling party MPA in the charge-sheet and the trial court had also issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Murad Ali Shah, who later obtained bail in the case.
The judge fixed Aug 31 for pronouncements of orders on the two applications.
The ruling party MPA had moved an application for his acquittal under Section 265-K of the CrPC.
