KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and former Sindh lawmaker Nadeem Hashmi has been freed from police custody and acquitted Tuesday from all charges including killing of two policemen in Karachi last week.

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT), formed to probe charges against the MQM leader, has submitted their investigative report to the Inspector General Sindh Police declaring him not guilty.

According to sources, Hashmi has reached MQM headquarters “Nine-Zero” in Karachi following his acquittal.

An anti-terrorist court in Karachi on Thursday had ordered a seven-day-long physical remand of Hashmi.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain had condemned the arrest followed by a complete shutdown observed in the port city and in some areas of Hyderabad on Wednesday last week.

Hashmi, in charge of the MQM’s North Nazimabad unit, was handed over to the police following the order of the ATC.

The former lawmaker was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Tuesday killing of two policemen in a North Nazimabad locality.

He was apprehended in a raid on his house and booked under the anti-terror law, killing of two policemen and snatching their official rifles.

The FIR was lodged on behalf of the state.

Nadeem Hidayat Hashmi, 49, was elected an MPA in a by-election following the death of Dr Mohammad Ali who won the 2008 election from a provincial assembly seat (PS-103) in North Nazimabad.