RAWALPINDI, Dec 14: An anti-terrorism court on Tuesday set aside a murder case against five leaders of Muslim Conference (MC), including two Azad Kashmir ministers, after an agreement was reached with the complainant – a leader of AJK People's Party.

Tariq Mehmood, a PPP worker, was killed on February 7 this year during polling for LA-40 Valley-V at a girls' school in sector G-6/2 in a clash with the workers of Muslim Conference. Chaudhry Yasin, a relative of the deceased, in the case registered with the Aabpara police blamed MC candidate Ahmed Raza Qadri and other leaders for Tariq's killing.

Special Judge ATC-III Rana Nisar Ahmed dropped the charges of murder after the two parties reached compromise. Minister for Transport, Sports and Youth Affairs Ahmed Raza Qadri, Minister for Housing Syed Murtaza Ali Gillani, former ministers of interior and local bodies, Raja Yasin Khan and Raja Naseer Khan, and Sardar Abrar Ahmed Khan, a close relative of AJK prime minister, were absolved of murder charge. The court however declared another accused, Saqib Majeed, proclaimed offender as he did not appear before the court.

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