Witness deposes against Hammad Siddiqui, other MQM hitmen

An anti-terrorism court recorded on Monday the testimony of a witness in a quadruple murder case against suspected target killers said to be affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

The witness, who was travelling along with the victims in a taxi when the attack happened, told that he saw Hammad Siddiqui, former incharge of the MQM’s Karachi Tanzeemi Committee, Raees alias Mama, Manzoor alias Lamba and Ahsan Iqbal firing on them.

Muhajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi vice chairman Zafar Qaimkhani, central committee members Aleem Khan and Abdul Qadir and taxi driver Niaz Muhammad were killed in the attack in the Landhi area on November 29, 2012.

The witness told the court that he along with the victims was going to DHA to meet their party chief, Afaq Ahmed, when their car broke down on the way. They hired a taxi and as they reached Mansehra Colony they were attacked.

He said that Siddiqui was in a car while Raees, Iqbal and Manzoor were on two motorcycles as they opened fire on them. He added that the assailants left after showering the taxi with bullets.

The taxi driver was dead on the scene while others succumbed to their wounds at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre during treatment.

The FIR of the incident was lodged after the burial of the victims in a Landhi graveyard. The witness was also cross-examined by the defence counsel. The court, after recording the statement, put the hearing off until March 11, summoning other witnesses named in the charge sheet.

Raees and Iqbal are in judicial custody while other accused are absconding. They face several cases pertaining to target killings, extortion, arson and other similar felonies. The prosecution maintains that the accused carried out the attack on the direction of the MQM leadership as they wanted to wipe out their political rivals from Karachi.