KARACHI: An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday acquitted chief of outlawed Peoples Amn Committee Uzair Baloch in a case pertaining to the killing of a man in rocket attacks in Lyari.

The alleged Lyari gangster along with Muhammad Shahid was charged with attacking police during an operation launched against gangsters within the jurisdiction of the Napier police station in 2012.

The trial was conducted by the ATC-VII in the judicial complex inside the Karachi central prison.

The judge acquitted the duo for lack of evidence and noted that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge against both the accused.

Five MQM men exonerated in MQM-H workers’ murder case

The judge directed prison authorities to release them forthwith if their custody was not required in any other case.

According to the prosecution, Uzair Baloch along with his absconding accomplices Taj Muhammad alias Taju, Habib Jan Baloch, Sheeraz Comrade and 25-30 (unidentified) persons raised slogans against the government and the police on Chakiwra Road on April 13, 2012 and fired rockets, which landed at the house of Muhammad Hanif.

It said Hanif, 45, died in the explosion while his son Muhammad Arif and daughter Afshan sustained injuries.

A case was registered under Section 302 (premeditated murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Napier police station on behalf of the state.

Uzair Baloch has been acquitted in 17 cases so far. He is currently facing trial in over 50 cases pertaining to kidnapping for ransom, murder, armed assault on the law enforcers and running extortion rackets under the alleged patronage of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the police high-ups.

MQM ‘hitman’ among five acquitted

Meanwhile, the same court acquitted five accused, said to be associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in a case pertaining to the killing of two activists of rival Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi in 2013.

Raees alias Mama, Ayaz, Kashif Saboor, Atif and Shahid Japani were charged with killing Shakil and Altaf during the 2013 general elections in Landhi-6.

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

Pronouncing the verdict, the court observed that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations against the accused persons. Thus, they were acquitted for lack of evidence, the court ruled.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2022