KARACHI, Jan 12: The anti-terrorism court No 4, headed by Judge Khan Pervaiz Chang, acquitted on Saturday a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in a car hijacking case.
Accused Hiyat Mehmood was prosecuted for depriving a civil judge of his car at gunpoint in the limits of Buffer Zone police.
The judge acquitted the Muttahida worker of all the charges as the prosecution could not bring incriminating evidence against the accused.
The judge also issued showcause notice to the investigation officer, Inspector Latif Khattak, for defective investigation and ordered the DIG Karachi to take action against the police official for negligence and inefficiency.
According to Sarwar Ahmed, civil judge, Malir, three men deprived him of his Mehran car (AA-5713) at gunpoint on April 18 this year on K. B. Road in North Karachi. The car was found torched near the People’s Chowrangi.
The civil judge had immediately reported the hijacking, which occurred during a strike jointly called by the Muttahida and the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz, to a nearby police picket.
Later, on May 2, police arrested two Muttahida workers, Mohammed Sohail and Hiyat, in the case. However, accused Sohail was released by police during the course of the investigation as no evidence had been found against him.
Special public prosecutor Feroze Mehmood Bhatti examined in all five prosecution witnesses against the accused.
ACQUITTED: An additional district and sessions judge, West, Ms Nuzhat Ara Alvi, acquitted two workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in a case pertaining to shootout with police.
Accused Fasihuddin and Mohammed Aleem, who were also prosecuted for attempting to kill police personnel during the shootout, were acquitted of all charges as the prosecution failed to prove its case against them.
The two workers were booked in the case, in 1995, by the Pirabad police.
CONVICTED: The special Anti-narcotics court, headed by Judge Ali Nawaz Pirzada, convicted five drug pushers in separate cases and sentenced them to different prison terms.
The judge sentenced accused Abdul Qadir to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for possessing 3.2kg charas.
The drug trafficker, arrested on September 10, 2000 by the Gulzar-i-Hijri police, was also fined Rs40,000. The convict would have to undergo an additional six months’ RI if he failed to pay the fine.
Accused Syed Khudai Noor, who was arrested on Nov 7 last year with 205 gram charas by the Bin Qasim police, was sentenced to two and a half years’ RI with a fine of Rs10,000. He would have to undergo an additional three months’ RI in case of default on the payment of fine.
The judge sentenced accused Ijaz Ahmed to 18 months’ RI for possessing 200 gram charas.
The accused, arrested on Nov 22 last year by the Eidgah police, was also fined Rs10,000. He would have to undergo an additional three months’ RI if he failed to pay the fine.
The fifth drug pusher, Bahadur Khan, was sentenced to two years’ RI for possessing 250 gram charas. He was arrested on Aug 23 last year by the Mominabad police.
The judge also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 on the drug pusher, who would have to undergo an additional three months’ RI in case of default on the payment of fine.