ATC acquits four in ASWJ activists murder case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday acquitted four men, said to be affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L), in a 13-year-old case pertaining to the murder of four Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) activists.

Syed Farhat Abbas, Shahzaib, Hammad and Mujtaba, alias Zain, were charged with killing Omar Haq Nawaz, Qari Abdul Shakoor, Imran Gul Karam Khan and Asadullah in a targeted attack within the jurisdiction of the Mobina Town police station in October 2012.

The ATC-V judge, who conducted the trial in the judicial complex inside the central prison, pronounced his order earlier reserved after recording evidence and final arguments from the defence and prosecution sides.

The judge observed that the prosecution had failed to prove charges against the accused beyond the shadow of doubt and acquitted them.

According to the prosecution, the four accused had allegedly killed four activists of the ASWJ near Abul Hassan Ispahani Road in a targeted attack in October 2012.

Defence lawyer Abid Zaman contended that his clients were innocent as they were framed in the case on the basis of a confessional statement before the police, adding that no confessional statement was recorded under the Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Besides, he said there was no direct evidence to back up the prosecution’s charges as the FIR of the murders was lodged against unidentified persons.

The court was therefore pleaded to acquit the accused for lack of evidence.

An FIR was lodged at the Mobina Town police station under the sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with the Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1998.