KARACHI, Dec 23: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Saturday judgment in a sectarian murder case against the chief of banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Akram Lahori, and his three associates.

Judge Haq Nawaz Baloch of the ATC-5, who conducted the trial inside Central Prison, fixed Jan 23 for the pronouncement of judgement after hearing final arguments by the defence and the prosecution.

LJ chief Akram Lahori, Ataullah, Muhammed Azam and Malik Tassaduq, are being re-tried for killing Seth Ramzan Ali, owner of Pak Iranian Tea Company, at his outlet in Saddar on February 11 last year. Ehsan Ali, employed at the tea company, and Muhammed Firdous, a customer, were also wounded in the attack. One of the attackers also hurled an explosive device, which devastated the victim’s shop.

Sarfaraz Tanoli, counsel for Malik Tassadduq, had earlier forwarded final arguments for the defence of his client.

M. R. Syed, counsel for the remaining three accused, and special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum made their final arguments. The prosecutor prayed to the court to award maximum punishment to the accused “as the prosecution proved its case beyond any reasonable doubt”.

The defence counsel, however, prayed to the court to acquit the accused as they were innocent and had been implicated in the case by the police.

The same court had earlier on Nov 15, 2003 sentenced the four LJ men to death in the instant case. Sindh High Court later remanded the case back to the trial court.