KARACHI: The prosecution in an anti-terrorism court has rested its side in a case pertaining to the murder of the Tehrik-i-Insaf leader Zahra Shahid in Karachi in 2013.

Ms Shahid, a senior leader of the PTI, was shot dead outside her home in the Defence Housing Authority on May 18, 2013.

Four detained accused — Mohammad Rashid, alias Master; Zahid Abbas Zaidi; Irfan, alias Lamba; and Kaleem — along with their absconding accomplices have been charged with killing the PTI leader on the eve of re-polls in Karachi’s National Assembly NA-250 constituency.

The prosecution closed its side.

Around 15 prosecution witnesses have been examined in the case.

The ATC-XVII judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the Central Jail, fixed July 23 for recording statements of the accused.

The police had arrested Rashid in an illicit weapons case on Sept 25, 2013. The prosecution claimed that during interrogations he had confessed to his involvement in the case of the PTI leader.

Later, the police arrested Zahid Abbas Zaidi on Oct 2, 2013.

A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gizri police station.

In the interim investigation report, the investigating officer had shown Junaid Bukhari, Tariq Nawab and Asif, alias Ganja, as absconders. During an identification parade, one of the prosecution witnesses had rightly picked the accused before a judicial magistrate.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2018