MQM worker acquitted in explosives, unlicensed weapon cases

An anti-terrorism court on Friday acquitted a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) from the cases pertaining to the possession of explosives and illicit arms case as prosecution failed to establish the cases against him.

Mirza Abdul Rahim Baig, arrested by the Sindh Rangers in December 2018, was charged with possessing explosives and an unlicensed weapon. While pronouncing the verdict, the ATC-XIII judge observed that the prosecution failed to establish its case hence no charge was proved on the accused. The judge directed the prison authorities to release him forthwith, if his custody was not required in any other case. The accused was already on bail.

The cases were registered under sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act and section 23(1)(a) of the Sindh Arms Act were lodged at the CTD police station. The paramilitary force claimed to have arrested him along with three others suspects for being allegedly involved in targeted killing, street crime and other criminal activities.

Two acquitted

A model court acquitted two men in a targeted killing case. Farasat Ali and Muhammad Kamran were charged with the murder of a young man in Kutiyana Mohala on January 12, 2011 within the remits of the Azizabad police station.

Central District’s Additional Sessions Judge Liaquat Ali Khoso pronounced his verdict reserved after recording the evidence and final arguments by the both sides. The judge noted that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations against both the accused persons.

He observed that the investigating officer failed to arrange identification parade of the accused persons and produce the report of the joint investigation team before which they had allegedly disclosed their involvement in the murder.

According to the prosecution, the complainant, Abdul Jabbar, said that his son-in-law, Muhammad Kamran, was sitting with a friend outside his house when two armed motorcyclists wearing helmets opened fire at them. Kamran received three bullets and died in hospital while his friend Shabbir remained unhurt, and the assailants managed to flee.