KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Thursday acquitted Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) Chairman Afaq Ahmed and 11 others in a case accusing them of instigating people to torch a heavy vehicle in Landhi. The case had been pending before ATC-XV, which conducted the trial at the Judicial Complex inside the Central Prison Karachi.
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The court announced its verdict after hearing arguments from defence counsel Javed Ahmed Chhatari and prosecutor Nasrullah Majeed. It ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge noted that private witnesses, including the complainant, truck driver and conductor, turned hostile and did not support the contents of the FIR or other case documents.
The court further observed that the witnesses failed to identify the accused in court, while police witnesses also could not corroborate the prosecution’s version. The verdict stated that contradictory statements and lack of credible evidence created multiple doubts, making conviction impossible under the law.
Defence counsel Chhatari said the acquittal in the Landhi case was a significant relief for Afaq Ahmed, who appeared before the court on bail. However, he added that two other cases against the MQM-H chief were still pending adjudication and awaited final verdicts.
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Citing Section 265-H(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the court concluded that all accused were entitled to the benefit of the doubt and therefore stood acquitted.