HYDERABAD, July 25: Chief of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party Dr Qadir Magsi and 32 other accused in the Hyderabad carnage case were acquitted on Friday in the Hyderabad carnage case of Sept 30, 1988.

Handing out the verdict, the sixth additional district and sessions judge, Manthar Ali Jatoi, said that the court found that there was no probability of their conviction.

However, eight other accused — Abdullah, Gulab Khan alias Madad Ali, Ghulam Sarwar, Mohammad Hashim, Mazhar Ali, Dr Abdul Hameed, Karim Bux and Ahsan — who had earlier confessed to their crimes, would be tried in the case.

Those acquitted were Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party chief Dr Qadir Bux Magsi, Dr Mohammad Dawood, Bashir Ahmed, Ahmed Khan, Ghulam Hyder, Dr Qadeer, Gul Hassan, Dr Ghulam Mohammad, Hidayatullah, Dr Humayun Kazi, Mehboob Ali, Karim Bux Leghari, Mohammad Qasim, Hassan Chandio, Nawab, Dr Abdul Azeem, Shaman, Abdullah, Noor Jan, Amir Bux, Jan Mohammad, Ghulam Rasool, Mastoo, Hakim, Ali Gohar, Munawar Ali, Asif, Deedar, Khadim, Ashique, Shafi Mohammad, Sahib Khan, Dadan and Laiq.

The acquittal was ordered under Section 265-K of the CrPC.

The judge noted in his order that the FIRs did not mention the name of even a single accused and the cases had been investigated and challaned on the basis of confessionals statements of the eight accused.

The verdict stated: “Confessions of some accused cannot be made (the) basis for conviction of remaining accused.”

“From the record and orders of Sindh High Court, Karachi, it appears that magistrates, who recorded confessions, were examined before the Suppression of Terrorist Activities courts and they also did not support the cases.”

The order also noted that the eight accused had retracted their statements during their cross-examinations and through different applications but the record of the evidence was not available with the court.

On Sept 30, 1988, unidentified armed men riding different cars had stormed various parts of the city, massacring more than 250 people in about 15 minutes.

Some of the accused, including those who would face trials and those who were exonerated, have died during the proceedings of the case.