MQM told to submit licences of weapons seized during raid on Nine Zero
Defence lawyers claim weapons were licensed and the party got them for security
A Rangers soldier displays weapons seized during the March 11 raid. PHOTO FILE
KARACHI:
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sought on Tuesday licences of the weapons, which were seized during the March 11, 2015, raid at Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters, from the defence side on the next hearing.
The licences have been sought as the defence lawyers claimed that the weapons, which were seized during the raid, were all licensed and the MQM was keeping them for security purposes. According to the prosecution, a large cache of weapons, including prohibited bore, those allegedly stolen from containers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) from Karachi port and explosives materials, were found from Nine Zero.
Around a hundred workers and party leader Amir Khan were taken into custody during the raid that was conducted by the Rangers on the morning of March 11 last year. Of the arrested suspects, 26 were immediately booked for keeping 'illicit' weapons and explosives and the others were taken into 90-day preventive detention for questioning.
Lack of evidence: ‘MQM worker’ acquitted in SHO murder case
During the hearing, which was conducted inside the jail, the weapons were produced before the ATC-VI judge by the prosecution as evidence in its case against the MQM workers, said a court official. He added that the paramilitary force-backed special public prosecutor, who has been tasked the cases, told the judge that the party failed to bring on record any licence of these weapons, despite its claim of obtaining them lawfully.
The defence lawyers, who are from the MQM's legal aid committee, argued that they had the documents of the weapons that the party owned, but most of the weapons presented in the court were never owned or kept by them.
The judge, concluding the hearing, asked the defence side to submit licences on the next hearing scheduled on May 18. The suspects held on this charge include Ubaid Khursheed alias K2, Nadir Shah, Faizan alias Usama and Faisal Mehmood alias Mota, who was awarded capital punishment in absentia in 2014 for the murder of journalist Wali Babar.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) sought on Tuesday licences of the weapons, which were seized during the March 11, 2015, raid at Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters, from the defence side on the next hearing.
The licences have been sought as the defence lawyers claimed that the weapons, which were seized during the raid, were all licensed and the MQM was keeping them for security purposes. According to the prosecution, a large cache of weapons, including prohibited bore, those allegedly stolen from containers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) from Karachi port and explosives materials, were found from Nine Zero.
Around a hundred workers and party leader Amir Khan were taken into custody during the raid that was conducted by the Rangers on the morning of March 11 last year. Of the arrested suspects, 26 were immediately booked for keeping 'illicit' weapons and explosives and the others were taken into 90-day preventive detention for questioning.
Lack of evidence: ‘MQM worker’ acquitted in SHO murder case
During the hearing, which was conducted inside the jail, the weapons were produced before the ATC-VI judge by the prosecution as evidence in its case against the MQM workers, said a court official. He added that the paramilitary force-backed special public prosecutor, who has been tasked the cases, told the judge that the party failed to bring on record any licence of these weapons, despite its claim of obtaining them lawfully.
The defence lawyers, who are from the MQM's legal aid committee, argued that they had the documents of the weapons that the party owned, but most of the weapons presented in the court were never owned or kept by them.
The judge, concluding the hearing, asked the defence side to submit licences on the next hearing scheduled on May 18. The suspects held on this charge include Ubaid Khursheed alias K2, Nadir Shah, Faizan alias Usama and Faisal Mehmood alias Mota, who was awarded capital punishment in absentia in 2014 for the murder of journalist Wali Babar.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2016.