KARACHI: Former Sindh Home Minister and leader of Grand Democratic Alliance Zulfiqar Mirza won acquittal in another case registered against him on charges of attempted murder, rioting, ransacking and causing terror in his home district Badin back in 2015.
The Anti-Terrorism Court-I (ATC-I) of Karachi also acquitted 26 comrades of Mirza who were booked for the same offences.
The same court had earlier in April this year acquitted Miza in an identical case registered against him and his companion for allegedly storming a police station in Badin when it refused to lodge a complaint against former President Asif Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and others.
Mirza was expelled from the central executive committee of Pakistan Peoples Party in 2015 after he levelled charges of corruption against co-chairperson of the party.
The ATC-I had announced its verdict on acquittal applications filed under section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in presence of Mirza and other applicants who were earlier set free on bail.
Around 20 private witnesses, including the complainant Imtiaz Ali Memon, shopkeepers Maula Bux and Kazi Imtiaz Ali – did not support the prosecution’s case, saying their statements were recorded before the police under the section 161 CrPC, but they could not recall the events since a considerable time had lapsed.
Defence counsel Ashraf Samon had contended that none of the private witnesses examined by the investigating officer had supported the prosecution’s case, as they had refused to confirm the alleged recovery of weapons.
State’s witnesses, including First Investigation Officer (IO) of the case Inspector Muhammad Yaqoob, second IO Inspector Sajjad, Inspector Zulqarnain, DSP Badin Muhammad Ahmed Qureshi, Inspector Muhammad Ahsfaq Bajwa had deposed against the accused, while two of the state’s constable Hashim, constable Muhammad Khan testified that they did not remember the events.
Defence lawyer had argued that creating insecurity and fear among the general public and staging a rebellion did not constitute an act of terrorism.
Special public prosecutor Mubashir Mirza had contended that recovery of weapons including one Kalashnikov, three repeater guns, one caliber.12 bore pistol along with bullet shells were recovered from the crime scene was a strong proof against the suspects.
He had further contended that the accused persons had also stole Rs3.7 million cash from the shop of the complainant, which were never recovered.
The judge in his verdict observed that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations against the applicant.
The instant case was registered under the sections 324 (attempt to murder), 395 (dacoity), 506-B (criminal intimidation), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs50), 337-H(ii) (shajjah) read with the section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, at the Badin police station.
