KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has acquitted Muttahida Qau­mi Movement-Pakistan lea­­der Syed Mustafa Ka­­mal and others in a case pertaining to violence and rioting during the last year’s by-election in the NA-240 constituency.

The ATC-VII judge pronounced the verdict after recording evidence from witnesses and concluding arguments from both sides, exonerating the former Karachi mayor and around 45 other accused for lack of evidence.

Police had booked Mr Kamal, the chairman of Pak Sarzameen Party at the time, and other party leaders and workers in one of the several cases lodged in connection with the election-related violence and clashes in Landhi and Korangi on June 16, 2022.

The prosecution alleged that around 50 to 60 workers led by Mr Kamal had arrived at a polling station in Landhi No. 6, beat the election staff and tore apart election material.

However, the complainant and key prosecution witness, Shahid Ali, who was the presiding officer at the polling station in question, did not identify Mr Kamal and others as accused during his evidence before the trial court and also deposed that the CCTV cameras were not stalled inside or outside the polling station.

The witness also conceded he did not name Mr Kamal in the FIR.

One of the defence lawyers, Latifuddin Pasha, said that the prosecution had failed to produce any cogent evidence before the court against any of the accused, while the principal witness (the presiding officer) in his cross-examination admitted Mr Kamal and others were not present at the crime scene.

The Karachi police had registered several cases related to the by-poll violence, including one against Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan chief Saad Rizvi.

The violence claimed the life of a PSP worker, whom the police described as a passer-by, and left several others injured. The ECP later took strict notice of the violence.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023