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KARACHI, April 3: Four men, being prosecuted in five cases of sectarian murders in an anti-terrorism court, deposed on Wednesday that they were “implicated” in the cases merely because they were “bearded Muslims”.
Mufti Muhammed Shahid Hanif, the 32-year-old peshimam of a mosque in Malir, submitted before Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 that he was implicated in the case because of his speeches before Juma prayers. He also denied his affiliation either with the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan or Lashkar-i-Jhangavi.
The three others — Muhammed Talha Hasan alias Nauman, 16, Haider Ali, 22, and Khalil Ahmed, 32 — also deposed that they were not workers of any sectarian or religious organization and that they were implicated in the cases as they had beards.
The four accused persons are being tried for killing five people, all belonging to a rival sect, in different parts of the city in separate attacks.
One of the case pertained to the killing of Altaf Hussain, a divisional engineer of the Pakistan Telecommunications Limited, on February 19 within the limits of the PIB Colony police. The victim was being driven to his office in his official car when ambushed.
The second case against them pertained to the murder of a doctor on May 31, last year in the limits of Aziz Bhatti police. Dr Raza Mehdi Jafferi was shot dead as he got into his car in front of his clinic in Block-15 of Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
Another case pertained to the killing of Syed Zafar Hussain, director, Research & Technology Centre, ministry of defence, on July 7, 2001 in the limits of th Gulbhar police.
The fourth case was registered by the Gulberg police for killing Syed Ali Hasnain Naqvi on Sept 4, last year.
The four are facing charges of murdering Dr Ishrat Hussain near his clinic in North Nazimabad in the limits of Shahrah-i-Noorjahan police.
The accused, being represented by Naimat Ali Randhawa, also disputed the date and place of their arrest while recording their statements under section 342 of the CrPC before the trial court.
According to the prosecution, the four accused were arrested on Sept 29, last year near Qudsia Masjid in Nazimabad.
The accused, however, submitted that they were arrested in the small hours of Sept 27 at their houses.
The defence counsel also moved an application for the court inspection of the place, where, according to the prosecution, the police had effected the arrest of the accused.
The judge fixed Thursday for hearing the arguments on the defence attorney’s application.
An SSP worker, Muhammed Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, has been declared an absconding accused in all five cases by the court.
CASE AGAINST TJP MEN: The defence counsel for two workers of the Tehrik-i-Jafferia Pakistan, being prosecuted for killing two workers of the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan in an attack, concluded his arguments before the ATC-2.
The two SSP activists — Muhammed Iqbal and Abdullah — were killed and seven others were wounded when their vehicle was fired upon on Oct 22, last year. The victims were returning from a party rally.
Later, two TJP workers, Syed Muhammed Qasim and Hasan Ali, being represented by Syed Tasawwar Husain Rizvi, were arrested by the Site police and five others, including Allama Hasan Turrabi, Mirza Yousuf and Asif, were shown absconders in the final charge- sheet.
The judge adjourned the hearing of the case till Thursday when the special public prosecutor, Mazhar Qayyum, would conclude his arguments.
Earlier on January 8, the ATC-2, then headed by Judge Abdul Hamid Abro, had declared the provincial chief of the Tehrik-i- Jafferia Pakistan and four others as proclaimed offenders in a double murder case. The court also ordered the attachment of the movable and immovable properties of the absconding accused.
CASE AGAINST SSP MAN: The ATC-1, headed by Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi, recorded the statement of the investigation officer in a sectarian murder case against a worker of the banned Sipah-i- Sahaba Pakistan.
The judge adjourned till Thursday the hearing of the case against Dildar alias Dilawar after the deposition of the IO, Sub- inspector Muhammed Fayyaz.
The religious party worker, being tried for murdering Sardar Ali Jafferi on May 15, 2001 in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, is scheduled to record his statement before the court on the next hearing.
Defence counsel M. R. Syed also cross-examined the investigation officer.
CARJACKING CASE: Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 put off till April 6 the hearing of a murder-cum-carjacking case after the investigation officer sought adjournment.
Accused Ali Jawad Zaki is being tried for snatching the car of Haseeb Qureshi after kidnapping and killing him on June 19, last year in Clifton.
A co-accused, Kamran Chandio, was earlier sentenced to a total of 17-year jail on two counts by the same court.
