MQM workers acquitted in decade-old murder case

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has acquitted four accused persons, believed to be the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) activists, in a decade-old murder case.

The court exonerated Amir Ali, alias Amir Sarphata, Muhammad Arif, alias Thandar, Naeem Nagori, alias Naeem Mula, and Adnan from all the charges for want of evidence. The ATC judge announced the verdict that he had reserved after recording evidence and arguments both from the prosecution and defence sides. He said the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the accused. The court ordered that they be set free forthwith if they were not required to be detained in connection with any other case.

The four were booked for the murder of a person, Jumma Khan, who was a transporter by profession, within the jurisdiction of the Nabi Bux police station. A first information report (FIR) was lodged against them under the Section 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

According to the prosecution, the accused had allegedly murdered Khan on the instructions of the party's high command over his affiliation with the now-defunct People’s Aman Committee in May, 2012.

Uzair Baloch case

A Rangers official on Saturday recorded his statement before an anti-terrorism court in a case filed against alleged Lyari gangster Uzair Baloch over possession of arms and explosive material.

Jahanzeb Khan, a deputy superintendent of the Rangers, testified that he was posted as an inspector at the paramilitary force’s Abdullah Shah Gazi Rangers Wing at the Meetha Ram Hostel where, during the interrogation, the accused revealed that he had concealed weapons, ammunition and explosives near a garbage dumping ground within the limits of the Nabi Bux police station.

One LMG, three RPG rockets, one rocket launcher, one RGS hand grenade and six Avon bombs were seized following the information provided by Baloch, he said, adding that the accused failed to produce licences when he was confronted. The witness said all the seized arms and explosives were kept at the City Courts’ Malkhana (storeroom), which had been burnt during a fire. A first information report (FIR) was filed against him at Nabi Bux police station.