THATTA, April 30: District and Sessions Judge Raja Lehrasiab Khan on Monday acquitted 21 accused in the Shah Bunder case, including Mir Murtaza Bhutto and seven youths killed in the ‘Shah Bandar encounter.’

According to an FIR registered by the Thatta police, 21 activists of the Al-Zulfikar Organisation were caught on May 11, 1992 while returning in a motor vessel from Indian Gujarat through Arabian Sea after receiving terrorism training in the neighbouring country.

The FIR stated that law enforcement agencies personnel killed seven of the 20 accused after a brief exchange of fire and arrested 13 of them. Murtaza Bhutto was accused of having arranged the India trip of the 20.