ATC acquits 26 MQM workers in illegal explosives case

After a passage of six year, an anti-terrorism court acquitted on Friday 26 persons booked in an illegal explosives case following a raid at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters, Nine Zero.

Issuing the verdict on 54 cases, the court acquitted 12 MQM workers, including Faisal alias Mota, Ubaid alias K-2, Nadir Shah, Amir alias Sar Phata, Amir alias Totla, Imtiaz, Abdul Qadir, Kazim Raza, Muhammad Amir, Shakeel, Mahmood Hasan, Muhammad Abid and Farhan Shabbir alias Mullah.

The party workers were booked under the Sindh Arms Act, 2013 and Explosives Substances Act, 1908.

However, the court sentenced Faisal, along with 12 others, to 10 years in jail, after finding him guilty in of possessing illegal arms in another cases. A fine of Rs50,000 has been imposed on him.

Three others, namely Shabbir, Ubaid and Abid, were sentenced to eight years of imprisonment under similar charges in the case and a penalty of Rs30,000 was imposed on each of them. Besides, eight others have been handed a six year jail term and fined Rs10,000 each for possessing illegal weapons.

The Sindh Rangers had raided the MQM's headquarters and arrested several workers on March 12, 2015.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM PPI