KARACHI, June 20: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Wednesday judgement in the killing case of six employees of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Organisation (Suparco) against a worker of the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi. Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2, who conducted the trial inside the Central Prison, fixed July 26 for pronouncement of the judgement after hearing final arguments from special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti and defence counsel M R Syed.

The prosecutor prayed the court to award maximum punishment to the accused as the prosecution successfully brought on record sufficient evidence against him.

The defence counsel, however, contended that the accused may be acquitted as the case of the prosecution was full of contradictions.

Six Suparco employees were killed and several others injured when their official van was fired upon on Oct 3, 2003, on Hub River Road within the limits of the Mauripur police.

Shahnawaz alias Shani has been charged with the killing. The prosecution examined, in all, 26 prosecution witnesses in the case.