KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Thursday acquitted Pak Sarzameen Party leader Advocate Anees Ahmed, better known as Anees Advocate, in cases pertaining to helping and funding Muttahida Qaumi Movement activists in their terrorist activities.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) had booked him on the charges of providing funds, arms and explosives to co-accused in the case Aleemuddin and Imran Ahmed.

On Thursday, the matter came up before the ATC-XVI judge who was conducting the trial in the judicial complex, within the central prison.

The judge pronounced his verdict after recording statement of Anees advocate. He and Imran Ahmed were on bail and appeared before the judge on their own while Aleemuddin was brought to the court from prison.

While recording his statement, under Section 342 of the criminal procedure code (Cr.PC), Anees Advocate (formerly an MQM leader) denied the allegations levelled against him by the prosecution and claimed innocence.

It was argued that the investigating officer of the case had placed his name in the column-II of the charge sheet. “This means there is no sufficient evidence against him and, therefore, he should be acquitted”.

The judge acquitted all the three accused, cancelled their bail and discharged sureties.

According to the prosecution, former MQM councillor from Hyderabad Imran Ahmed and activist Aleemuddin from Landhi (Karachi) had links with the Indian spy agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). It alleged that Anees Advocate acted as facilitator in their terrorist activities in Karachi and Hyderabad.

The prosecution also alleged that two Kalashnikov rifles and two hand-grenades were seized from the two co-accused, who were arrested in Landhi in May last year.

Two separate cases were registered against them at the CTD police station.

Anees Advocate, who parted ways with the MQM in 2016, has been acquitted in three criminal cases so far.

SP’s murder case

The same court reserved its judgement in a case pertaining to the murder of SP Shah Muhammad and Dr Dilshad in Korangi in 2012.

Police had booked Raees-ud-din alias Raees Mama, a former Korangi sector-incharge of the MQM, Ejaz Qadri alias Gorchani and Asif Iqbal alias Lamba, for shooting to death the police officer and the doctor.

According to the prosecution, four assailants riding motorbikes had opened fire on SP Shah and Dr Dilshad outside the latter’s clinic on March 28, 2012.

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2022