Illegal Arms Case: Mustafa Kanju declared PO

Prosecutor told the court that Kanju fled abroad after his acquittal in murder case of teenaged student Zain

LAHORE: A judicial magistrate declared Mustafa Kanju, son of former state minister for foreign affairs Sidique Kanju, a proclaimed offender in a case for allegedly possessing illegal weapons.

The court also summoned record of immoveable and moveable properties of Kanju, who is not appearing before the court despite several notices.



The prosecutor told the court that Kanju fled abroad after his acquittal in the murder of a teenaged student Zain.

However, the prosecutor said, the accused did not appear before court to prove his innocence in a case registered under charges of having an illegal Kalashnikov.

In December last year, the court had issued arrest warrants for Kanju for possessing illegal arms and ordered North Cantt Police to arrest and present the suspect before the court.

During the course of proceeding, investigation officer of the North Cantt police station had appeared before the court and submitted that the case against Kanju was registered at his police station for possessing an illegal Kalashnikov. The weapon was also allegedly used in Zain murder case, he added.



On April 1, 2015 Kanju had allegedly opened fire on a vehicle near Lahore’s Cavalry Ground area, killing 16-year-old Zain and leaving a pedestrian injured. However, he was acquitted by an anti-terrorism court for the lack of evidence.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2016.