KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Monday recorded the statement of a prosecution witness in a case pertaining to the murder of renowned social activist Perween Rahman.

Five detained accused — Raheem Swati, his son Mohammad Imran Swati along with three co-accused Ayaz Shamzai alias Swati, Amjad Hussain Khan and Ahmed Khan alias Ahmed Ali alias Pappu Kashmiri — have been charged with her murder.

Ms Rahman, head of the Orangi Pilot Project, who devoted her life to the development of impoverished neighbourhoods across the country, was gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

On Monday, the matter was fixed before the ATC-XIII judge to record testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, including a private citizen. The West range DSP Khalid produced two witnesses; a private citizen and a policeman.

The private witness had his statement recorded. However, the prosecution gave up the second witness, who had already had his testimony recorded earlier that one of the accused, Imran Swati, was arrested in his presence.

After recording the statement of the witness, the judge directed DSP Khalid and the investigating officer to produce the remaining prosecution witnesses on the next date and fixed the hearing for Oct 22. The prosecution has listed 29 witnesses in the investigation report, but hardly nine of them had testified before the court, as others were reportedly not turning up due to security threats. The remaining witnesses included nine private citizens.

The court had recently dismissed bail applications of Raheem Swati, the main accused charged with planning and executing the murder, and his son Imran Swati, who has been charged with concealing information about the accused persons.

A case was registered under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Pirabad police station.

Later, Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 was incorporated in the case on the directive of the Supreme Court that had also ordered a judicial inquiry into the case by the then district and sessions judge (West), Ghulam Mustafa Memon.

Arrest warrants for policemen

Meanwhile, another antiterrorism court has issued non-bailable warrants for arrest of the police officials who were not turning up to record their testimonies in a case pertaining to the alleged sectarian killing of four clerics.

The detained accused Syed Farhat Abbas Zaidi has been charged with killing the clerics Dilshakur, Mohammad Umer, Ansar and Imran near Siddiq-i-Akbar Masjid in Scout Colony, Mobina Town in 2012.

The ATC-VI judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, issued arrest warrants in sum of Rs25,000 each for former inspector Changez Khan, inspector Abbas Ali Kolachi, sub-inspector Ghulam Mustafa Shah and constables Badaruddin and Imtiaz.

The judge directed the IG police Sindh to ensure presence of inspector Changez Khan, who had been dismissed from service, as he was not appearing despite issuance of summons in the case, which is pending since 2012.

It also directed the investigating officer to arrest and produce inspector Kolachi and the two constables on the next date. The hearing was adjourned till Oct 22.

A case under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the PPC read with Section 7 of ATA was registered at the Mobina Town police station.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2018