ATC records statement of witness in policemen’s murders case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) recorded on Wednesday the statement of a witness in the murder case of a police inspector and his guard who were killed in a targeted attack nine years ago.

The then SHO of the Brigade police station, Inspector Nasirul Hasan, and his guard, Head Constable Khurram Butt, were killed by armed motorcyclists in Lines Area on July 1, 2010. Another policeman was also injured in the firing.

The ATC-XVI judge, who has been presiding over the trial inside the central prison, heard the statement of a private person who was presented as a witness by the prosecution. So far seven witnesses have been examined by the court.

Earlier, the court also recorded the statement of a former judicial magistrate who had conducted the identification parade of the suspects. Witnesses had identified the suspects as the shooters before him and he was asked to corroborate the fact in the court.

Seven suspects, including Ubaid Khursheed, alias Ubaid K2, Ishtiaq, alias Policewala, Syed Shakir Hussain, Syed Zakir Hussain, Khawaja Faisal, Rafay and Zakir have been charged with the murder of the policemen.

Besides them, Nadeem, Shabbir, alias Dhobi, and Asif, alias Chitta, who are said to be the suspects’ accomplices, have been absconding. All the suspects are said to part of a ‘hit team’ of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

Inspector Hasan was an active member of the police team that conducted the Karachi Operation in the early 1990s. Most of the policemen who were part of that team were killed in a similar fashion.

The FIR of the incident was registered on the complaint of the state at the Brigade police station under sections 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with the Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Two get life in prison

A model court on Tuesday sentenced two men to life imprisonment after they were found guilty of killing a boy in the old city area.

Additional District South and Sessions Judge Kamran Ata Soomro handed down the punishment to Muhammad Nawab and Muhammad Asif and remarked that the court had taken a lenient view because of the young ages of the accused.

According to the prosecution, the accused and their accomplice, who was tried separately for being a juvenile, killed Mastana in Ghas Mandi on September 11, 2016. It added that they came on a motorbike and fired shots at the boy when he was standing outside the LPG shop and escaped.

The accused were arrested after the eyewitnesses provided their identification. They denied the charges and opted to contest the case. The prosecution had successfully established its case against them and they could not prove their innocence.

The case was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Napier police station.