KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday upheld the verdict of Sindh High Court (SHC) rejecting the provincial government’s appeal regarding acquittal of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists in the murder case of famous philanthropist, writer and physician Hakeem Mohammad Said, DawnNews reported.

The government in 2001 had filed the appeal in the apex court against the judgment of the SHC’s anti-terrorism appellate bench which acquitted all nine accused in Hakeem Said murder case.

MQM workers Mohammed Amirullah, Mohammed Shakir alias Shakir Langra and Abu Imran Pasha were among the nine acquitted.

On June 4, 1999, the anti-terrorism court No VI, Karachi, had convicted the respondents and sentenced them to death for causing the death of Hakeem Mohammed Said and two others. They were also fined Rs100,000 each.

The decision brought joy among the MQM ranks and sweets were distributed in Burns Road, Ranchor Line and Liaquatabad among other areas of the port city.

MQM’s Rabita (coordination) Committee responded to the development with great delight, calling the apex court’s judgment a ‘victory of truth’ in a statement issued later on Saturday.

The committee felicitated MQM workers over the verdict.

“The Supreme Court’s decision has proved once again that Hakeem Said’s murder was a part of a conspiracy hatched against the party,” said the statement.

“May Allah bestow its blessings to the party workers who were murdered under the guise of this heinous crime,” it added.