PHC upholds acquittal of ex-MPA in murder case

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday upheld the acquittal of former Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam JUI MPA Atiqur Rehman and his two brothers in the murder case of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel heard the case.The appellant argued that despite the presence of strong evidence, the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Kohat acquitted the accused, which, according to the appellant, was an unjust decision and should be overturned to ensure the accused are punished.

Barrister Amirullah Khan Chamkani, counsel for the accused, informed the court that Farid Khan, a newly elected PTI MPA, was killed along with a companion in 2013. Atiqur Rehman, a former MPA affiliated with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and his brothers had been nominated in the case.

Barrister Chamkani contended that the trial was properly conducted in the ATC, and the court found no concrete evidence linking the accused to the murder. He also pointed out that prior threat alerts had already been issued for the slain MPA, and the prosecution failed to establish the accused’s involvement beyond reasonable doubt.After hearing arguments from both sides, the bench dismissed the appeal and upheld the verdict of the ATC Kohat, confirming the acquittal of Atiqur Rehman and his co-accused.