MQM activist’s appeal in Randhawa killing case dismissed

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday dismissed the appeal of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activist against his life imprisonment sentence in the case of a special prosecutor’s murder, but acquitted the co-accused for want of evidence.

Syed Kazim Abbas and Nauman were sentenced to life imprisonment by an anti-terrorism court for murdering special prosecutor Naimat Ali Randhawa, who was representing the state in Geo TV reporter Wali Khan Babar’s murder case.

According to the prosecution, the appellants killed the special prosecutor when he and his son were returning to their home, which is situated in the Nazimabad area, from the city courts in September 2013. Randhawa’s son was also injured in the attack.

The appellants’ counsel said there was contradiction in the statements of witnesses, and Nauman had not been identified by the witnesses during the identification parade. The additional prosecutor general supported the impugned judgment, saying that the eyewitnesses had identified Abbas and Nauman both during identification parades.

He said Abbas had also admitted his guilt while being interrogated by the joint investigation team, and the recovery of the weapon used in the crime from him matches the empties recovered from the crime scene. He said Abbas’s fingerprints were also found on the weapon used in the crime. The complainant’s counsel sought an increase in the punishment of the appellants. An SHC division bench comprising Justice Mohammad Karim Khan Agha and Justice Khadim Hussain Tunio said the prosecution had proved its case against Abbas to the hilt.

The court said the prosecution could not prove its case against Noman in the offence, and then acquitted him of the charges for want of evidence. The bench said that the prosecution had also proved sufficient connection to prove its case under the anti-terrorism law with regard to the murder of Randhawa.