KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Saturday indicted three suspects for the murder of a teenager in a Defence locality.
The teenager, Hamza Ahmed, was allegedly gunned down by the guard of Muhammad Shoaib, a friend of the victim, after they had a heated argument over a girl outside a restaurant in Defence Housing Authority in April 2013.
Judge Saleem Raza Baloch of the ATC-III read out charges against Shoaib, his driver, Mushtaq, and security official, Mohammad Idrees, for allegedly abetting and harbouring the alleged shooter.
However, they pleaded not guilty and opted to contest the case. The court summoned all prosecution witnesses to testify on Nov 21.
A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 109 (abetment) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Darakhshan police station.
Security guard Amal Khan, who is an absconding suspect, was named as the alleged shooter in the case.
Two gangsters jailed for life for killing Rangers soldier
An antiterrorism court sentenced two gangsters to life imprisonment on Saturday in a case pertaining to the murder of a paramilitary soldier.
Shahzad Khaskheli and Abdul Rahim Baloch, said to be associated with one of the several criminal gangs operating in Lyari, were found guilty of killing Rangers personnel Madad Ali and wounding Sub-Inspector Muhammad Siddiq in Arambagh in December 2011.
The ATC-III judge, Saleem Raza Baloch, also imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each and in case of default the convicts would have to undergo an additional two years in prison.
The court handed down 10-year imprisonment to both accused for the offence of attempted murder.
However, the court ruled that both the sentences would run concurrently.
According to the prosecution, Rangers were on a routine patrol in the Arambagh area on Dec 29, 2011 when assailants fired at them and rode away.
Police arrested the accused in August 2012 in a Lyari locality after a shootout and found illicit weapons in their custody. During questioning, they disclosed to their involvement in the present case, it added.
The prosecution further said that the wounded paramilitary soldier had identified both the accused before a judicial magistrate during an identification parade as well as in the trial court.
The forensic report of the weapons seized from them also declared that the same weapons were used in the crime.
A case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempted murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on the compliant of SI Siddiq at the Arambagh police station.
Shahzad alias Irani Baloch is absconding in the case.
Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2015
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