KARACHI, May 17: The prosecution in a kidnapping-for-ransom case prayed to an anti-terrorism court for death penalty to the accused. Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 reserved the judgement till May 20 after hearing final arguments from prosecution and defence attorneys.

Zafar Iqbal, Shaukat Ali, Akbar Ali and Muneer Ahmed have been prosecuted for kidnapping Aslam Lodhi and five others on Jan 1 for ransom. According to prosecution, victim Lodhi was running a workshop. One of his employees, Zafar Iqbal, asked him and five other colleagues to have dinner at his home.

It was alleged that the accused gave them intoxicated food and made them hostage. Later, the kidnapper phoned the son of the workshop owner, Mohammed Saqib Lodhi and demanded a heavy sum for the release of hostages.

The accused allegedly agreed to accept Rs115,000 as ransom and asked the victim's son to bring the money near Bilal Chowrangi, Korangi, where accused Shaukat Ali was arrested red- handed receiving the money.

Later, the accused led the police party to the house where Aslam Lodhi and his five workers - Asif Ali, Abdul Waheed, Mohammed Aslam, Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Rashid - were kept.

The police also arrested Zafar Iqbal and Ali Akbar on a lead given by accused Shaukat. Accused Muneer Ahmed, however, fled the scene, but he was also later arrested.

One of their alleged accomplices, Mir Hasan, is still untraceable and he has been declared absconder. Special public prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa examined in all 11 prosecution witnesses, who also included the six victims of the kidnapping.

The prosecutor argued that the prosecution has successfully proved its case "beyond any reasonable shadow of doubt" and the accused be awarded maximum punishment i.e. capital punishment.

He submitted that all six victims of the kidnapping had fully "incorporated the accused in the case". Moreover, the accused also failed to establish any grudge or animosity between the prosecution witnesses and them, he contended.

Kabir Ali Wasti, defence counsel for accused Zafar Iqbal and Shaukat, contended that Zafar was implicated in the case as he had a monetary dispute with his employer, Aslam Lodhi.

Defence counsel Ali Gohar Soomro and Liaquat Ali Khaskheli, who appeared for accused Muneer and Akbar respectively, disputed the time and place of the arrest of their clients.