KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has rejected the bail plea of a man who was held in a case pertaining to the killing of a senior police officer’s brother in 2006 within the jurisdiction of the Mehrabpur police station.

Accused Atta Hussain Marri, alias Atto, had filed an application before the ATC-1 judge, seeking post-arrest bail in the murder case, who was earlier declared absconder accused in the case.

According to the counsel for the complainant, Abid Zaman, accused Marri, along with his accomplices Khadim Hussain and Akhtar Ali — who have already been convicted in the case — murdered Muhammad Suleman while he was in his otaq.

Explaining the motive behind the murder, Counsel Zaman told Dawn that the deceased was the brother of senior police official Hassan Ali Sahito.

He added that the accused had approached Suleman after Mr Sahito was appointed jailer in 2006, seeking facilitation for their inmate brother.

However, when Mr Sahito did not facilitate their brother, they killed his brother, Suleman.

In its order, the ATC judge noted that the case was transferred to this court on the direction of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and the record showed that in 2009, an ATC court in Karachi had convicted the duo, Khadim and Aktar. However, in 2020, Khadim expired in jail, and the present accused, Atta Marri declared an absconder.

After the arrest of the accused, the prosecution witnesses recorded their 164 statement before the magistrate and they implicated the present applicant in the offence.

“Accused is involved in heinous offence in which one innocent person namely Muhammad Suleman lost his life,” the court observed.

It added that it is well-settled law that for deciding the bail application, the court has to observe the tentative assessment and a deeper appreciation of evidence is not required.

After hearing agreements from both sides, the court rejected the bail plea, observing that the punishment of alleged offence is death or life imprisonment, which falls within the ambit of the prohibitory clause, while the defence failed to make out the case for further enquiry.

“Therefore, the applicant is not entitled for concession of bail, I do not find any merits in the instant bail application and same is herby dismissed,” the court ruled.

A case was registered at Mehrabpur police station under Section 302 (Murder) and other provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2026