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KARACHI, Jan 20: The three workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, facing re-trial in the Zuhair Akram Nadim murder case, were awarded double capital punishment for two counts by an anti-terrorism court on Monday.
Dilawar, Aslam and Jehangir, represented this time by provincial minister Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari and Nawab Mirza, were sentenced to death earlier on April 30, 1999, in the case for only one count by an anti-terrorism court.
Judge Feroz Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-2, who conducted the retrial from the stage of the statement of the accused on the orders of the Supreme Court, also ordered Dilawar alias Khan Sahib, Aslam alias Nak Chapta and Jahangir alias Kancha to pay Rs300,000 each as compensation to the deceased’s family.
The defaulter on the payment will have to undergo an additional six-month term of rigorous imprisonment, the judge ordered.
The three Muttahida men were sentenced to death twice for murder and for spreading terror, and were also fined Rs100,000 each and in case of default the accused would have to undergo an additional two-year term.
Sabir Ali, a junior to Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, placed before the court the written arguments in the defence of the accused.
The three Muttahida workers had earlier been sentenced to death on April 30, 1999, by then special court for suppression of terrorist activities (STA). The court, however, had acquitted another Muttahida worker, Arif alias Burger, in the case for want of incriminating evidence against him.
Later on July 1, 1999, the convicts filed in the Sindh High Court an appeal against the trial court judgment. The SHC, however, dismissed their appeal and upheld the sentence.
The convicts then moved to the Supreme Court which remanded the case on May 22 last year back to the ATC for retrial from the stage of recording of the statements of the accused.
Special public prosecutor Mazhar Qayyum appeared on behalf of the state.
The Muttahida workers had shot dead former MNA Zuhair Akram Nadim on July 4, 1998, in Orangi Town on plot No. 4/18, lane No. 2, Sector 7-E, Orangi Town, where he was inspecting the construction work of his building.
The prosecution had examined, in all, 11 witnesses before the then military court, which had also sentenced the accused to death.
The judge conducted the retrial inside the Central Prison, Karachi.
The case was investigated by then SHO Raza Hussain Shah, now DSP.
SHAUKAT MIRZA CASE: The prosecution in the Shaukat Mirza murder case against the chief of the banned Lashkar-i- Jhangvi and two activists closed its side before an anti- terrorism court.
Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang, who is holding the trial inside the Central Prison, Karachi, fixed 22nd for recording statements of the accused after the examination of last two prosecution witnesses.
Akram Lahori, chief of the banned sectarian outfit, Mohammed Azam and Ataullah are being tried for killing the managing director of the PSO and his driver on July 26, 2001.
The last two PWs — Inspector Qamaruz Zaman, SHO of the Frere police, and Inspector Tariq Islam — were also cross-examined by defence counsel M. R. Syed.
The prosecution, led by special public prosecutor Maula Bux Bhatti, examined in all 18 PWs in the case.
MAJOR ZARGHAM CASE: The judicial magistrate, South, Rahmat Ullah Moro, summoned four army officers to record their statements in the inquiry into a direct complaint against the chief of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee and 19 others, including a senior superintendent of police, for involving an army officer in a Huddood case.
The magistrate issued notices to Lt-Col Ahmed Khan Joya, Lt- Col Ayaz Khan, Lt-Col Ashfaq Shah and Major Arshad to appear before the court on 30th.
Major Zargham Mirza had lodged a direct complaint before the judicial magistrate for registration of criminal case against 20 respondents, including Jamil Yousuf and A. D Khawaja, under section 182, 500 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Those made respondents in the complaint included Zaeem Iqbal, ASP, Lubna Tiwana, then SHO of Women Police Station, Inspector Abdul Hakim Bangash, Azhar Ellahi and Sharaf Memon.
