KARACHI, April 6: An anti-terrorism court reserved on Saturday the judgments in five cases of sectarian killing against four men.
Judge Arshad Noor Khan of the ATC-3 fixed April 15 for the pronouncement of the judgments after the prosecution and the defence concluded their arguments.
Four men — Mufti Muhammed Shahid Hanif, the 32-year-old peshimam of a mosque, Muhammed Talha Hasan alias Nauman, 16, Haider Ali, 22 and Khalil Ahmed, 32 — were prosecuted for the murder of five people, belonging to the rival sect.
According to the prosecution, they were involved in the killing of Altaf Hussain, a divisional engineer of the Pakistan Telecommunications Limited on Feb 19 within the limits of the PIB Colony police. The victim was being driven to his office in his official car when ambushed.
The four allegedly shot dead Dr Raza Mehdi Jafferi on May 31, last year in Gulshan-i-Iqbal within the limits of Aziz Bhatti police station.
The third case against them pertained to the killing of Syed Zafar Hussain, director, Research & Technology Centre, ministry of defence, on July 7, 2001 in the limits of th Gulbhar police.
The fourth case was registered by the Gulberg police for killing Syed Ali Hasnain Naqvi on September 4, last year.
The four are facing charges of murdering Dr Ishrat Hussain near his clinic in North Nazimabad in the limits of Shahrah-i-Noorjahan police.
The team of the prosecutor comprised the advocate general of Sindh, Raja Qureshi, and assistant AG Habib Ahmed. The AAG made the arguments as special public prosecutor in these five cases.
Mufti Shahid and Haider Ali were represented by Naimat Ali Randhawa, and M. R. Syed appeared for the defence of Khalil Ahmed and Talha.
JUDGMENT DEFERRED: Judge Abdul Ghafoor Memon of the ATC-2 deferred the judgment in a sectarian killing case against two workers of the banned Tehrik-i-Jafferia Pakistan.
The judge fixed April 9 for the pronouncement of the judgment.
Two TJP workers — Syed Muhammed Qasim and Hasan Ali — have been tried for the murder of two workers of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP).
The SSP activists — Muhammed Iqbal and Abdullah — were killed and seven others were wounded when their vehicle was fired upon on Oct 22, last year.
The accused, represented by Syed Tasawwar Husain Rizvi, were arrested by the Site police. Five others, including Allama Hasan Turrabi, Mirza Yousuf and Asif, were shown absconders in the final charge-sheet. The absconders have been declared as proclaimed offenders.
SSP MAN: The ATC-1, headed by Judge Aley Maqbool Rizvi, adjourned till Monday the hearing of two murder cases against two workers of the banned SSP till Friday.
One of the cases against Dilawar alias Dildar and Rashid alias Andha pertained to the murders of Sardar Ali Jafferi on May 15, 2001 in Gulshan-i-Iqbal. The second case against them pertained to the killing of Mazhar Abbas and Muzaffar Karmani on Feb 5, last year in an attack on their public call office in the limits of Soldier Bazar police on Feb 5, last year. The victims were Nazar Abbas and Muzaffar Karmani.
Dilawar is being represented by M. R. Syed and co-accused Rashid by Ateeq Siddiqui.
Special public prosecutor, Abdul Waheed Khan, moved two applications for recalling two prosecution witnesses. The court allowed the applications and ordered judicial magistrate S. M. Naqi, who recorded the confessional statement of Rashid, and SI Khurram Waris, who had interrogated the accused.
DR JAMEEL CASE: The ATC-2, headed by Judge Abdul Ghafoor Memon, put off the hearing of a murder case against two workers of the Tehrik-i-Jafferia Pakistan till Monday.
Syed Muhammed Qasim and Hasan, who are also accused in the murder case of two SSP men in an attack on their vehicle, have been charged with the murder of Dr Jameel on Oct 3 last year in the limits of Rizvia Society. One of his paramedic staff, Nighat Seem, was also wounded in the attack.