KARACHI, Oct 2: An anti-terrorism court remanded on Wednesday an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in police custody for his alleged involvement in a case pertaining to the murder of Advocate Naimat Ali Randhawa.

The suspect, Syed Kazim Abbas Rizvi, was brought to the premises of the anti-terrorism courts in an armoured personnel carrier and produced in court amid tight security.

The investigation officer submitted that during an initial interrogation the suspect disclosed his involvement in the murder of Advocate Randhawa. The IO sought his custody for 30 days on the grounds of further interrogation, holding an identification parade and arrest of absconding suspects.

The police named Noman, Salman and Rehan as absconders in the remand papers.

The detained suspect informed the court that he was an employee of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

The judge of the ATC-II remanded the suspect in police custody for 16 days and directed the IO to produce him along with a progress report on the next date of hearing.

According to the prosecution, Naimat Ali Randhawa, a senior lawyer and a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N’s legal wing in Sindh, was gunned down in North Nazimabad on the night of Sept 26. His son sustained bullet wounds in the attack.

The police linked the killing with the murder of TV journalist Wali Khan Babar, who was killed in Liaquatabad in January 2011, since the slain lawyer was pursuing the case on behalf of the complainant side.

The police said that the suspect, who belonged to Unit 178 of the MQM’s organisational structure, was detained during a joint action by police and Rangers on the night of Sept 30 in Gizri.

A case (FIR 280/13) was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 on a complaint of the deceased’s son at the North Nazimabad police station.

Meanwhile, another ATC remanded the same suspect in police custody in an illicit weapon case till Oct 18.

The police said that an unlicensed pistol was seized from the suspect at the time of his arrest. They claimed that the same weapon was used in the commissioning of the murder.

A case (FIR 396/13) about recovery of the weapon was registered under Section 23-1 (A) of the Sindh Arms Ordinance.

Defence issued notice in reporter murder trial

Another anti-terrorism court issued a notice to the defence counsel over his extended absence in the Wali Babar murder case.

Faisal Mahmood alias Nafsiati, Syed Mohammad Ali Rizvi, Shahrukh alias Mani, Naveed alias Polka and Shakil alias Malik along with their absconding accomplices have been charged with killing the reporter of a private TV channel, on Jan 13, 2011 in Liaquatabad.

Special Public Prosecutor Abdul Maroof submitted an application that the matter had repeatedly been adjourned without any proceeding for the last many months since the defence lawyer remained absent and requested the court to provide a counsel to the accused on state expenses as provided under Section 19(8) of the ATA, 1997.

He further argued that the apex court had also issued a directive for holding day-to-day proceedings of the case.

Judge Saleem Raza Baloch of the ATC-III issued a notice to the defence lawyer directing him to appear in court on Oct 8.

A case (FIR 8/11) was registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 7 of the ATA, 1997 at the Super Market police station.