SHC rejects govt’s appeal against acquittal of MQM workers

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday rejected appeals filed by the government against the acquittal of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers in a 2015 case related to recovery of explosives and weapons from their party headquarters known as Nine Zero. The court also rejected the Rangers’ request seeking increases in the sentences of 13 accused. 

An anti-terrorism court had exonerated 14 accused including Nadir Shah in illegal arms and ammunition recovery case. 

According to the prosecution, the ATC handed down different sentences to 13 MQM activists. The court awarded 10-year jail term to accused Faisal Mota for keeping illegal weapons and given 8-year sentences each to accused Farhan Shabbir alias Mullah, Ubaid K2 and Abid. 

On March 11, 2015, Rangers arrested senior MQM leader Aamir Khan along with 26 party workers during an early morning raid on Nine Zero, and police registered as many as 52 cases against him.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, the court acquitted the accused in the case related to the explosives allegedly recovered from the spot.

According to the prosecution, the weapons recovered from Aamir Khan’s possession were included 11 anti-aircraft guns, 17 hand grenade launchers, 39 LMGs, 9 RPGs, 82 SMGs, 11 Seven MMs, one M16, 32 Chinese, 7.62 rifle, 10G3, 5 sniper rifles, two repeaters, 9 short SMG and 245 magazines of SMG and G3, 200 grenades, 2,000 rifle grenades, 140 bulletproof vests and a large quantity of ammunition. 

The state had moved to the Sindh High Court against an anti-terrorism court’s verdict, acquitting Faisal alias Mota, Ubaid alias K2, Farhan Mullah and others in the case. However, the appeals were rejected by the SHC today.