KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Wednesday exonerated two alleged ‘hitmen’ belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in a case pertaining to murder of a former minister and three others.

Ahmed Saeed, alias Saeed Bharam, and Rasheed Ahmed, alias Doctor, were acquitted of the charges of killing former minister Badar Iqbal, his gunman Sarfaraz, a passer-by Mohammad Rafiq and another person Danish in an gun attack on his car near Lighthouse in 2006 within the remit of the Risala police station.

On Wednesday, the ATC-VII judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his verdict reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The judge noted that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations levelled against both the detained men beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt due to “lack of evidence”.

Thus, the judge acquitted both the accused and directed the prison authorities to release them forthwith if their custody was not required in any other case.

According to the prosecution, unknown armed motorcyclists opened fire on the car of Badar Iqbal, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q, near the Subhanallah Bakery on M.A. Jinnah Road on March 18, 2006.

The firing left Iqbal, a 45-year-old former provincial minister, his gunman 22-year-old Sarfaraz and 25-year-old passer-by Mohammad Rafiq, dead while four others — Fahim, Shuja, Amin and Danish — wounded, it added. Later, Danish succumbed to his wounds.

Mr Iqbal was one of the founding members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who later parted ways with his mother party and became vice-chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement in 1992. Later, he had joined the PML-Q.

The court indicted both the accused after the investigating officer filed the final investigation report. They pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the trial.

In their statements recorded under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code, both the accused denied the allegations and claimed their innocence.

The defence counsel contended that there was no evidence to connect their clients with the commissioning of the alleged offence.

The special public prosecutor for the Rangers, Jawed Awan, argued that there was strong evidence of eyewitnesses as well as confession made by accused Saeed Bharam before a judicial magistrate to establish their role in the commissioning of the quadruple murders.

The case took several turns as the additional district and sessions judge (South) Javed Ahmed Keerio, had in Feb 2012 acquitted another alleged hitman Shahnawaz, alias Ajmal Pahari, in the present case for want of evidence. Later, another accused was acquitted in the case for lack of evidence.

The murder case of four people was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder), 114 (abettor present when offence committed) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Risala police station.

Later, the IO incorporated Section 7 (acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 in the case.

Gangster jailed for 42 years

An antiterrorism court on Wednesday awarded a collective sentence of 42-year imprisonment to a gangster for possessing illicit arms and ammunitions and terrorism.

The accused Zaheer Ahmed, alias Gul, was found guilty of possessing illegal weapons and ammunition.

The ATC-X judge conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs200,000 on the convict.

However, the court acquitted two co-accused M. Javed Iqbal Khan and M. Saleem, alias Waaja, due to benefit of doubt.

The case against five absconding suspects Asif Dacait, Muneer Khan Baloch, Mushtaq Ahmed Sarki, Mumtaz Khan and Tahir Khan was kept on dormant file.

According to the prosecution, the Rangers raided a house in Malir on a tip-off regarding presence of Lyari gangsters involved in selling illicit arms and ammunition and using the money for anti-state activities in the city.

Two cases under Sections 23(i)-A of the Sindh Arms Act, 2013 and Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the Explosive Substances Act read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) and 7(ff) of the ATA 1997 were registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department police station.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2019