KARACHI: An antiterrorism court has acquitted a man, said to be a former sector in charge of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, in a 13-year-old double murder case.

Shabbir Ahmed alias Farhan Mullah was exonerated from the charges of murdering Head Constable Tariq Altaf and civilian Zeeshan Khalid in a targeted attack on Jamia Millia Road on Dec 13, 2009.

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

The same court also acquitted him in another case pertaining to possessing an unlicensed 9mm pistol for lack of evidence.

The judge directed the prison authorities to release the accused, who was produced in custody, if his custody was not required in any other case. According to the prosecution, the Rangers had arrested the accused along with several MQM workers during a pre-dawn raid at the party’s Nine Zero headquarters in Azizabad on March 11, 2015. During investigation, he disclosed to have killed Tariq Altaf and Zeeshan Khalid.

Jazlan murder case

District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Faraz Ahmed Chandio fixed Nov 17 for indictment of five suspects booked for allegedly killing young student Jazlan over a trivial dispute in Bahria Town Karachi.

Currently, Muhammad Hasnain, his brother Muhammad Irfan and their friend Inshal Hassan are in custody. Muhammad Faiz and his third son, Muhammad Ahsan, joined the trial after obtaining pre-arrest bail from the Sindh High Court.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2022