KARACHI, Jan 14: An additional district and sessions judge (Malir) recorded on Wednesday the statement of the investigation officer of a murder case registered against the leaders of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi).

The IO, sub-inspector Ghulam Hameed, deposed that the police had arrested two accused, Babar and Danish, who confessed to their involvement in the murder and disclosed during the interrogation that they committed the offence at the behest of chairman Afaq Ahmed, secretary-general Amir Khan and MPA Younus Khan.

The leaders called them at the party’s headquarter, Bait-ul-Hamza, and directed them to commit the murder, the IO added.

Appearing on behalf of Afaq Ahmed, Advocate Suhail Anjum cross-examined the IO and pointed out that the sub-inspector did not record the statements of accused Babar and Danish under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code and the statement of the accused recorded in police custody had no evidentiary value in a court of law.

The counsel for Amir Khan stated that one of the accused, Younus Khan, had already been discharged in the case under Section 494 of the CrPC by the provincial government.

He said that the prosecution did not have any solid evidence against other accused.

Adjourning the hearing till Jan 28, the judge directed the IO to either produce the witnesses, Zubair Ali, and his mother, Rafiqun Nisa, in court or submit a report containing their evidence on the next hearing.

According to the prosecution, on July 30, 2002, complainant Zubair Ali, son of Mashooq Ali, along with his mother, Rafiqun Nisa, was coming to his home in Nazimabad in a taxi. When they reached Ammar Yasir Society near Lilly Town, three to four unknown persons allegedly opened fire on the taxi, wounding his mother and the taxi driver, Kafiluddin. The complainant took his mother to Al-Mustafa Trust, while Kafiluddin was taken to the JPMC where he succumbed to his wounds.

The police had registered a case (FIR144/02) under Sections 302, 324 and 109/34 of the Pakistan Penal Code at Malir City police station against Afaq Ahmed, Aamir Khan and others stating that the firing incident took place at the behest of the accused.

Remand

The Administrative Judge of the Anti-Terrorism Courts, Karachi, Justice Salman Ansari, on Wednesday remanded two suspects in police custody in a kidnapping and murder case of a five-year-old boy till Jan 24.

The suspects, Ahmed Raza and Amir, were arrested in the limits of Bilal Colony police station on Jan 12.

The investigation officer produced the suspects in court and requested for 14-day physical remand for interrogations and to arrest their other accomplices. However, the judge remanded the suspect in police custody for 10 days and directed the IO to produce the suspects in court on Jan 24.

According to prosecution, the suspects along with their three associates had allegedly kidnapped their cousin, Zohaib son of Imran, on Jan 11 near his house in New Karachi and demanded a ransom of Rs500,000 for his release. However, they strangled the boy and were on their way to dispose the body when a police party intercepted them near Allahwali Chowrangi in the limits of Bilal Colony police station, found the body and arrested the two suspects. However, their associates are still at large.

A case was registered under Section 365-A (kidnapping for ransom) and 302/34 (murder and common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Bilal Colony police station.