KARACHI: An antiterrorism court on Friday dismissed bail application of a detained suspect facing the allegations of facilitating the killers of renowned social activist Perween Rahman and concealing information.

Police have booked Imran Swati, son of the main suspect Raheem Swati, for allegedly facilitating the killers of Ms Rahman, the project director of the Orangi Pilot Project.

The ATC-XIII judge, who is conducting trial in the judicial complex inside the Central Jail, pronounced the order, reserved on Tuesday, after hearing arguments from both sides.

Defence rests its case in Zahra Shahid murder trial

Ms Rahman, who devoted her life to the development of impoverished neighbourhoods in the metropolis, had been gunned down near her office in Orangi Town on March 13, 2013.

In the bail plea, Advocate Shamrooz Khan, defence counsel for Imran Swati, argued that his client was taken into custody by police three years ago and was charged under sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Neither his name was mentioned in the first information report (FIR) nor any recovery was made from his possession, maintained the counsel.

He added that even his arrest was not made from the site and an innocent person was being incarcerated. The lawyer pleaded with the court to grant bail to his client.

On the other hand, Advocate Salahuddin Panhwar for the complainant opposed the bail plea, arguing that the detained suspect could abscond if he was released on bail.

He also feared that the suspect could tamper with the evidence and mentioned that the witnesses to the case were already facing threats. The Supreme Court had directed the police high-ups to provide them adequate protection.

The counsel added Imran had concealed the information about his father when a judicial committee probing into the murder had summoned him to record his statement, thus playing the role of facilitator.

Mr Panhwar pleaded to dismiss the bail application.

While pronouncing the order, the judge dismissed the bail plea and fixed hearing for August 10 to record evidence of witnesses and others.

Defence witnesses testify in Zahra Shahid case

The defence rested its side before an antiterrorism court on Friday in a case pertaining to the murder of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader Zahra Shahid in 2013.

Four detained accused — Mohammad Rashid alias Master, Zahid Abbas Zaidi, Irfan alias Lamba, and Kaleem — along with their absconding accomplices have been accused of killing the PTI leader on the eve of re-polling on Karachi’s National Assembly constituency NA-250.

The ATC-XVII judge, who is conducting the trial in the judicial complex inside the Central Prison, recorded statements of four witnesses produced by the defence.

The court adjourned hearing till Aug 18 to hear final arguments from the defence and prosecution.

Four defence witnesses included Mohammad Rashid’s brother Mohammad Shariq, Haseenuddin, wife of Zahid Abbas Zaidi and mother of Kaleem.

The witness Shariq deposed that the police arrested accused Mohammad Rashid mistaking him as Mohammad Rashid alias Master, who was the ‘real’ key suspect as named in the murder case.

He further deposed that his brother, Mohammad Rashid, ran a tailor’s shop at Badar Commercial in DHA, from where he was picked up by police on Sept 16, 2014 in presence of his colleagues.

Therefore, Shariq further deposed that he petitioned the Sindh High Court (SHC) over alleged disappearance of his brother, whose arrest was subsequently shown on Sept 25, 2014.

The third defence witness, wife of the detained accused Zahid Abbas, testified that her husband was an employee of the Karachi Port Trust and was taken away by the law enforcers.

She deposed that she had also petitioned the SHC after which her husband’s arrest was shown on Oct 2, 2014.

The fourth defence witness, mother of the detained accused Kaleem, also deposed that the law enforcers took away her son and she had moved a petition against his alleged disappearance in the SHC and subsequently his arrest was shown by the law enforcers.

After recording their testimonies, the defence closed its side in the case. Therefore, the judge fixed the matter for Aug 18 to hear final arguments from the prosecution and defence.

On Thursday, the court had recorded statements of the accused as required under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), denying their alleged involvement in the senior PTI leader’s murder.

They deposed that since they belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), thus they were framed in the case on the basis of political rivalry.

Ms Shahid, a senior leader of the PTI, was shot dead outside her home in the Defence Housing Authority on May 18, 2013.

On July 14, the prosecution had rested its side in the case after examining around 15 prosecution witnesses.

The police had arrested Rashid in an illicit weapons case on Sept 25, 2013. The prosecution claimed that during interrogations he had confessed to his involvement in the case of the PTI leader. Later, the police arrested Zahid Abbas Zaidi on Oct 2, 2013.

A case was registered under sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 at the Gizri police station.

In the interim investigation report, the investigating officer had shown Junaid Bukhari, Tariq Nawab and Asif, alias Ganja as absconders.

According to the interim report, the prosecution witnesses included a driver of the slain leader, who had rightly picked out both suspects during an identification parade before a magistrate.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2018