KARACHI: A judicial magistrate acquitted a former lawmaker and 16 activists belonging to the Altaf Hussain-led Muttahida Qaumi Movement, better known as MQM-London, on Wednesday in a case pertaining to a organising an unlawful demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club.

Former MPA Nisar Panhwar and 16 others were arrested for holding an alleged unlawful assembly and provoking people for rioting outside the KPC on Aug 14.

On Wednesday, Judicial Magistrate (South) Shah Muhammad Ameen Rashdi pronounced his verdict reserved earlier after recording evidence and final arguments from both sides.

The magistrate observed that the prosecution failed to prove the charge against the accused persons.

Therefore, he acquitted the accused – including Nisar Panhwar, Muhammad Imran Khan, Saqib Shah, Jerik, Abdul Wahab, Wasiq, Nasir Ali, Aleem Ahmed, Arman, Raees, Mehboob Alam, Najam Iqbal, Nasir Ahmed Siddiqui, Abdul Waseem Siddiqui, Haseeb Elahi, Daniyal and Faisal Mughal – citing lack of evidence.

According to the prosecution, MQM-London leader Panhwar had unlawfully held a large demonstration outside the KPC and chanted slogans that provoked the protesters, including women and children, for rioting.

Defence counsel Amar Haseeb Panhwar contended that there were glaring contradictions in the testimonies of the witnesses of the prosecution which also lacked evidence to prove the allegations against his clients.

He pleaded to acquit them of the false and fabricated allegations, arguing that they were framed in the present case on the basis of political victimisation.

On the other hand, the state prosecutor argued that there was sufficient evidence to connect the role of the accused persons with the commissioning of the offence and pleaded to punish them according to the law.

The prosecutor argued that the protesters while carrying portraits of MQM founder Hussain raised slogans in his favour and delivered ‘provocative’ speeches. “Since [carrying] pictures of Altaf Hussain is banned, the area police took into custody 17 persons and lodged an FIR against them,” the prosecutor added.

A case was registered under Sections 147 (rioting), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Artillery Maidan police station on behalf of the state.

Published in Dawn, February 23th, 2023