KARACHI, Sept 8: An Anti-terrorism Court (ATC) put off on Wednesday the hearing of a murder case after recording the statements of an eye-witness. The case against accused Qurban Ali Magsi pertained to the killing of sub-inspection Zahid Hussain Abidi during a shootout with a police party in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on June 17, 2000.

Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed Friday for the next hearing after statement by Anver Hussain Zaidi, the brother- in-law of the victim sub-inspector. According to prosecution, accused Qurban Ali Magsi and co- accused Amanullah Magsi alias Shahbaz were spotted near National Apartments while they were going in a snatched Toyota Corolla.

The accused persons opened fire when the police party tried to intercept them, fatally wounding the sub-inspector. Accused Amanullah Magsi also sustained a bullet wound in his chest and he was arrested on the spot with an unlicensed pistol. Accused Qurban, however, managed to flee the scene.

The same court had earlier on Sept 28, 2000, sentenced co-accused, Amanullah Magsi, to death for the murder of the police official. PW Anver Hussain Zaidi stated before the court that he was in his house when he heard shots. He said he came out and saw four policemen and two accused exchanging fire.

The prosecution witness deposed that one of the accused, Amanullah, was shot and injured by the police. He said the accused was also firing on the police party and his brother-in- law had received the bullet from accused Amanullah. The PW stated that accused Qurban Ali Magsi threw his pistol away as his accomplice and the police official sustained bullet wounds.

ACQUITTED: The additional district and sessions judge, West, Ms Gulshan Ara Chandio, acquitted seven accused in a robbery case. The defendants - Aurangzeb, Allah Dita, Abdul Hamid Rashid, Abdul Hamid Aziz, Mohammed Ashraf alias Baloch, Mohammad Akram and Samar Hussain - were prosecuted for committing robbery in a textile mill on December 3, 2000 within the police limits of the Pak Colony.